Safety Mistakes Every Forklift Operator Should Avoid

20th Aug 2020

Most of the accidents that normally happen in a warehouse are avoidable.A good number of those accidents are usually due to forklift operators not observing outlined safety standards. In this article, we look at some of the common mistakes forklift operators normally make and how they can be prevented.

Over speeding Within the Warehouse

A warehouse can be a very high-pressure environment and this means a forklift operator might be tempted to over speed to meet set targets. However, this often ends up in accidents that cause damage to both goods and human life. Therefore each company should have strict policies to be adhered to by their forklift operators and take them through frequent training to keep them professional. Speed limit signs have also proved helpful in many cases.

Overloading the Forklift

Another big contributor to unsafe practices in the warehouses is usually overloading of the forklift. Doing this will either cause the load to fall off the forklift or make the forklift lose control. Your firm should make it a priority to set realistic targets especially when it comes to operations that involve moving numerous goods. Also, ensure that every forklift operator is very well aware of the load limits of the types of forklifts they are required to use.

Smoking around the Recharge/Refueling Stations

If you have forklift operators who smoke it is advisable to caution them against smoking anywhere close to the refueling/recharge stations. A lot of fires are usually caused by this simple mistake leading to enormous losses. Refuel/ recharge stations are dangerous because fuel-powered forklifts use propane which is highly flammable while the electric forklifts emit hydrogen gas when they are charging in an area with poor ventilation which is equally flammable. Always ensure there is adequate ventilation in your warehouse and no smoking signs within the premises.

Not doing Maintenance Checks.

Maintenance checks are so easy to ignore but they could be what saves you a lot of time and money. It should be standard practice within the warehouse to check the pressure levels on your tires because under-inflation could damage the tires and cause accidents while over-inflation can cause them to burst. Also always check whether the forklift has adequate fuel or battery charge to prevent a sudden stoppage which can be fatal in a busy warehouse. A good maintenance plan should guide you through all the relevant checks.

Lack of Communication

When you run a busy warehouse one of the things that can lead to regular accidents is lack of communication amongst your workers. A basic internal operation guideline should give your workers a framework of when and how to communicate so that they don’t operate under assumptions. Doing this will reduce the accidents in your warehouse by a great margin.

Unsafe Parking Practices

Forklift operators get very tired at the end of any day and this can sometimes lead to improper parking of the forklift. Some of the common parking mistakes are not lowering the forks to ground level, parking in undesignated spaces, not setting the controls to neutral and lowering the brakes. It is wise to have an authorized person do routine checks to ensure proper forklift parking measures are adhered to.

So what can a company do to prevent some of these mistakes? The answer lies in ensuring you have a well thought out a policy that will both guide and put your personnel in check. Regular training can also help you overcome some them. What are some of the common safety mistakes in your warehouse? 

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