Safety Tips For Operating A Forklift

Safety Tips For Operating A Forklift

by

Christopher Scarl

Forklifts are powerful trucks used to lift and transport heavy materials from one end of a warehouse or factory to another. They’re an indispensable part of a plant’s transport system where goods and machinery need to be shifted from place to place. Since they have such high load capacities, they’re even capable of carrying shipping containers weighing up to 50 tons.

Operating a forklift requires training and licensing as the mechanisms are different from ordinary heavy vehicles like commercial trucks. Because safe driving depends largely on being able to accommodate and adjust with the forklift’s varying center of gravity, people with no training aren’t allowed to operate and drive such vehicles.

There are a number of safety tips and procedures that drivers must keep in mind while operating a forklift. This will guarantee that accidents can be minimized and all goods that the vehicle is carrying are transported safely without event.

— No matter where a forklift is being used, it must be operated only by people who have been trained and have a valid license to do so.

— Loose clothing is a strict no-no as it can get caught between the machinery. Hard hats, gloves, shoes and other items of clothing that conform to that of forklift operations must be worn.

— To prevent untoward incidents from occurring, it’s good practice to conduct a check of the forklift before driving. If damages are found, the vehicle shouldn’t be operated and the components that need to be repaired must be checked and fixed immediately. The surrounding environment must also be surveyed to ensure that the roadways can carry a certain weight since goods that need to be transported weigh differently.

— Forklifts should only be started once the driver is safely inside and has his seatbelt strapped properly around him. The controls and the required equipment must be at arm’s reach and the seat should be adjusted according to the required height and the driver’s comfort.

— Forklifts may have the ability to carry very heavy weights but the roadways must also be able to support them. As such, it is important to drive the vehicles only over roadways that are strong enough to carry the weight of the forklift and the cargo. Deviating from designated roadways could increase the risk of having it cave under.

— Turns and corners must be navigated slowly and carefully. Despite a forklift’s carrying capacity, it can still tip over if not driven carefully and fast turns can increase the chances of it to turn turtle.

— Speed limits should be maintained to avoid accidents and starts and stops must be done slowly.

— Uneven or slippery surfaces must be navigated carefully. To avoid unwanted surprises, the roadway for a forklift should be cleared of any object and the surfaces must be checked for bumps or cracks.

— All cargo and shipment containers must be secured properly. Loose loads can cause the center of gravity to shift unexpectedly which can be dangerous as the vehicle may tilt. Overloading should also be avoided. To ensure that the vehicle is able to carry and transport heavy cargo properly, the load must be evenly distributed.

— When going up ramps, the vehicle should move forward. When going down ramps, however, it must do so in reverse so that the load doesn’t fall off.

— Once the destination has been reached, the vehicle should be stopped slowly and the forks should be lowered to the floor for unloading of the cargo.

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