Specific OSHA requirements have to be met in order to utilize any kind of forklift. A lot of the businesses using lift trucks would offer basic training to the other office and sales staff in addition to visitors and other non operators who may venture into the distribution areas. Even though OSHA doesn't particularly address lift truck pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers should take measures so as to protect employees from certain risks, like pedestrians exposed to lift trucks in motion.
Pedestrian safety is a big concern that needs to be dealt with and not disregarded. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH; roughly 20% of all forklift mishaps consist of a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic translates to roughly 19,000 individuals on a yearly basis.
In order to keep everybody safe, there are several basic steps which must be taken into consideration. This is regardless to how frequently or briefly individuals are around industrial trucks during their work day. One of the major factors is that forklift pedestrian accidents normally occur in situations where the pedestrian is not aware of safety measures. Problems also happen more frequently when the pedestrian ends up complacent since she or he has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts.
So as to avoid putting yourself at potential risk of being struck by a lift truck, there are some common situations to look out for. One of the most common problems is when pedestrians did not see the lift truck. Many operations have various degrees of blind corners or intersections that pedestrians need to know. Sometimes pedestrians do not hear the forklift. Be really careful of the different types of power sources. For instance, electric trucks can be much quieter than IC engines that are really loud.
Coming in too near the machine is another common concern for pedestrians. In order for a pedestrian to be injured by a forklift, common sense tells us that the pedestrian needs to be near to be struck. For a forklift that is working, a four foot safety zone is suggested in order to make a safe perimeter for everybody. This really helps to deal with risks such as the model accidentally driving over the foot of a pedestrian.
Implementing and following strict safety protocol helps to make sure that the workplace safety remains paramount and stays top notch.