In warehouses, factories, shipping yards and freight terminals, forklifts are used to lift, stack and transfer loads. Forklifts have a range of limitations, from maximum load weight to speed.
These factors affect the forklift operator and the forklift itself. Therefore, employers should ensure that workplace conditions suit the forklift and the tasks it performs.
Deaths, injuries and workplace losses are generally attributed to forklifts. Every year, several workers are injured or killed as a result of forklift accidents. A high number of these accidents involved pedestrians in the operating vicinity and forklift operators who either jumped or fell from a forklift in a tip over.
Driving with raised forks, cornering too fast, striking low doors or beams, driving across inclines and uneven grounds are the main causes of forklifts overturning. Colliding with another vehicle, braking too quickly and towing disabled forklifts have also caused overturns and fatalities.
Forklifts tip over too often. Changes to workplace practices and people’s behaviour in and around forklifts need to be made.
Forklift accidents are preventable with safe work environments, effective employee training, well maintained machinery and traffic management as they reduce the risks posed by forklifts in the workplace.
Vocam Forklift Safety Training includes hard hitting recreations of common accidents re-created by professional stuntmen.
Vocam Forklift Safety Training solutions include broadcast quality safety DVDs, safety manuals and powerpoints online safety videos along with a learning management system that enables companies to schedule regular forklift safety tests and easily manage record keeping.
Vocam Forklift Safety Training covers the following areas:
- The stability triangle
- Longitudinal stability
- Lateral stability
- Load capacity
- Dynamic stability
- The operating environment
- Forklift tip over procedures
- Checking for safety
- Travelling and traffic controls
- Lifting and moving loads
- Forklift attachments
- Parking the forklift
- Refuelling and recharging
Each training topic can be integrated as either group or self-paced forklift safety training.