4th Aug 2020
The refueling station can be one very busy space, especially where many forklifts are involved.
Petrol is known to be highly flammable and can also cause irritation or itchiness to the skin.
You will, therefore, need to observe the highest safety standards to ensure you keep safe during refueling.
Designate A Refueling Area
You should designate a specific space where every forklift is refueled.
This space should come well ventilated to ensure that the fumes generated by diesel and petrol diffuse easily to avoid fires.
This space should also come with equipment like a fire extinguisher vital for fighting fires.
Make Use of Safety Signs
Even though the operator doing the refueling is trained on what to do, you should use safety signs in the refueling station so that they are cautious.
One vital safety sign for the refueling station is the "No Smoking" sign. It is important to prevent operators from smoking in the refueling station since this can ignite the fumes released by diesel and petrol to light up.
Switch Off The Forklift
It is also recommended that while you are doing the refueling the forklift is switched off.
Make sure you do this immediately you embark from the forklift.
The handbrake should also be activated so that the forklift is immobile and the forks are lowered to avoid tripping accidents.
Maintain Cleanliness
While you are refueling the forklift you can expect some oil spills after you are done.
It is crucial that such spills are cleaned since they can make other operators slide and fall.
The oil can also corrode your rubber forklift tires. Therefore, avail cleaning equipment to ensure such spills are always cleaned promptly.
Use Personal Protective Equipment
While you are doing the refueling you can expect petrol to generate dangerous fumes.
Therefore, during the refueling process you should ensure you have eye protection on to prevent the fumes from getting into the eyes and causing itchiness.
Using gloves will also protect your hands from coming into contact with petrol which can cause skin irritation.
Therefore the very first step is to ensure you have a designated space for the refueling. You should also encourage the use of PPE to protect you from the harmful effects of diesel and petrol. Install safety signs in the refueling station to keep the operators alert. It is also important that you provide cleaning equipment to get rid of oil spills and ensure the forklift is switched off during refueling.
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