Particular OSHA requirements have to be met in order to use any type of forklift. Many of the businesses using lift trucks would provide basic training to the other sales and office staff in addition to visitors and other non operators who might venture into the distribution areas. Even though OSHA doesn't particularly address forklift pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers should take measures so as to protect employees from some dangers, like for example pedestrians exposed to moving lift trucks.
A big problem which would have to be addressed is pedestrian safety. Based on the NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; about 20% of all forklift mishaps comprise a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic translates to approximately 19,000 people on a yearly basis.
Nevertheless briefly or frequently individuals are around industrial trucks in their work day, there are several basic steps that should be taken in order to keep everybody safe. One of the main factors is that forklift pedestrian mishaps normally happen in situations where the pedestrian is not aware of safety measures. Issues also occur more often when the pedestrian has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts and ends up complacent.
There are some common situations to look out for so as to prevent placing yourself at potential risk from being struck by a forklift. Pedestrians not seeing the lift truck is a common issue that needs to be addressed. Numerous operations have various degrees of intersections or blind corners that pedestrians should be aware of. At times pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be really careful of the various kinds of power sources. For example, electric trucks can be a lot quieter than internal combustion engines that are super loud.
The other major issues are when pedestrians come in too near the machinery. Common sense tells us that in order for a pedestrian to be injured by a lift truck, the pedestrian needs to be near to be struck. For a lift truck which is working, a four foot safety zone is recommended in order to make a safe perimeter for everyone. This helps to address risks such as the model accidentally driving over the foot of a pedestrian.
Following and implementing strict safety protocol helps to make certain that the workplace safety stays top notch and remains paramount.