Particular OSHA requirements have to be met in order to utilize any kind of lift truck. A lot of the companies utilizing forklifts will offer basic training to the other office and sales staff in addition to visitors and other non operators who may venture into the distribution areas. Even though OSHA doesn't particularly deal with lift truck pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers must take measures so as to protect employees from some dangers, like for instance pedestrians exposed to lift trucks in motion.
Pedestrian safety is a big problem that needs to be dealt with and not ignored. Based on the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH; approximately 20% of all forklift mishaps comprise a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic means approximately 19,000 individuals on an annual basis.
However frequently or briefly people are around industrial trucks during their work day, there are some basic steps which must be taken in order to keep everyone safe. One of the major considerations is that lift truck pedestrian mishaps often happen in situations where the pedestrian is not aware of safety precautions. Problems also happen more frequently when the pedestrian has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts and ends up complacent.
There are several common situations to look out for so as to avoid placing yourself at potential risk from being struck by a forklift. Pedestrians not seeing the lift truck is a common issue which needs to be dealt with. Numerous operations have varying degrees of blind corners or intersections which pedestrians must be aware of. Sometimes pedestrians do not hear the forklift. Be careful of the various kinds of power sources. Like for example, electric trucks can be a lot quieter as opposed to IC engines which are really loud.
Coming in too close proximity of the machine is another common issue for pedestrians. In order for a pedestrian to be injured by a forklift, common sense tells us that the pedestrian needs to be near to be struck. For a lift truck which is running, a four foot safety zone is suggested in order to make a safe perimeter for everyone. This really helps to address risks like for instance the unit driving accidentally over a pedestrian's foot.
To make certain that the workplace safety stays top notch and remains paramount, following and the implementation of strict safety protocol is important.