Forklift Safety

Overview

Forklift Safety should be managed through a planned system of work: identify the task-specific hazards, eliminate exposure where practical, use engineered or collective controls before relying on PPE, verify critical safeguards before starting, and stop the task when controls are missing or conditions change. This guide applies those principles specifically to safe operation of powered industrial trucks around pedestrians, loads and work areas.

Main Hazards

• • Pedestrian struck-by and reversing collisions
• • Tip-over from speed, turning, slope or elevated loads
• • Dropped or uncontrolled loads
• • Crushing and line-of-fire exposure
• • Equipment instability or overload

Essential Controls

1. 1Use trained authorized operators and complete pre-use vehicle inspection.
2. 2Maintain clear travel routes, safe speed, visibility and pedestrian segregation.
3. 3Confirm equipment capacity, configuration and inspection status before use.
4. 4Use a lift plan or task plan appropriate to the complexity and risk.
5. 5Establish an exclusion zone and keep people out of the load path and pinch points.
6. 6Use competent operators and agreed communication signals.

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