04/02/2015 Major Forklift Accidents of 2013 and Steps to Avoid Them in 2014

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Warehouse Management BlogMajor Forklift Accidents of 2013 and Steps to Avoid Them in2014

Forklift accidents cause somewhere between 85 and 100 fatalities worldwide each year.On top of this, on average, there are 34,900 accidents resulting in serious injury and61,800 non­serious accidents.

Some of the major accidents involving forklifts last year include:

Friday 14 June 2013: A driver in the USA caused $250,000 worth of damage whenhe split a hose valve while placing a 4 ton roll of metal in a storage rack.

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04/02/2015 Major Forklift Accidents of 2013 and Steps to Avoid Them in 2014

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Tuesday 30 July 2013: An explosion at the Blue Rhino Propane factory causing $3million worth of damages and left 5 fighting for their lives in intensive care. It believedto have been started by a spark from a forklift. Friday 19 July 2013: A Tasmanian court finally awarded a man left quadriplegic $7.4million after a workplace forklift accident in 2009.

These are just some of the accidents that occurred in the past year involving misuse offorklifts. There were also several fatalities in Australia this year from forklift accidents. Asmentioned above the number of accidents worldwide everywhere is in the tens ofthousands.

With this in mind, we detail four key protective measures you need to implement in 2014to minimise the risks of forklift accidents in your facility:

1. SeatbeltsIt is not just on the open road that seatbelts can be lifesavers, the use of seatbelts inforklifts can also save lives. The major lifesavingfunction of a seatbelt in a forklift is a different role to itsnormal use for impacts. Seatbelts in forklifts are mostuseful when the machine tips over. Of all forkliftfatalities, it is estimated that 42% come from tippingvehicles, where often the operator jumps out. In theirattempt to escape the vehicle, the operator gets caughtand crushed under the vehicle or load. By requiring alloperators to wear seatbelts and keep them on, in the instance of tipping you candrastically reduce the risk of casualties in your workplace.

2. TrainingAlong with wearing seatbelts drivers should be trained to lean away from the ground inthe case of tipping, for example, if they are falling left they should lean right and viceversa. Simple rules such as these can save lives in the case of an accident. Training hasan important role in all facilities and particularly those that use forklifts, it can prevent orreduce the severity of accidents related to tipping and all other incidents. Instructionshould include more than just a basic teaching of operation; it should include safetyprocedures, best practices and emergency situations. Having a list of things that need tobe remembered in a well frequented area such as the cafeteria door or main entry doorcan also be a good tactic to constantly remind workers of their training.

3. Reliable EquipmentIt is important that all your equipment is functioning well. The average useful life of a lifttruck is on 6 years, after that, lift­trucks can become dangerous for the operator and allthose around it. This length varies across different machines for several reasons outlinedbelow.

Type of forkliftMaintenance it receives

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04/02/2015 Major Forklift Accidents of 2013 and Steps to Avoid Them in 2014

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The number of hours it is used each weekThe difficulty of the task it must perform.

For a further example, electric forklifts have a longer life due mainly to having lessmoving parts, and one that had low hour usage on it would last even longer. Below is achart by Hyster, a forklift manufacturer, that gives an average lifespan of severaldifferent types of forklift.

If your equipment is not functioning at its optimum, you essentially put your facility atrisk of accidents. To avoid this, a regular maintenance schedule should be established inyour workplace. Keeping your equipment in good condition can benefit your entirewarehouse and your bottom line. By having your forklifts in good condition, you reducedowntime, minimise risks of accidents and ensure high performance and profit.

4. Warehouse DesignThe final element crucial in preventing accidents is the design of your warehouse.Specifically:

Wide Lanes: These are crucial in reducing collisions both between vehicles and withthe racks and vehicles. Narrow lanes demand more from your drivers and can causeserious problems.Bollards, Guard Rails and Bump Rails: These can be useful in protecting importantparts of the warehouse and rub points. They reduce the chance of damage and wearand therefore extend the life of both your lifts and your facility. You should putbollards around things such as door mechanisms or high traffic pedestrian areas.

04/02/2015 Major Forklift Accidents of 2013 and Steps to Avoid Them in 2014

http://www.remaxproducts.com.au/warehouse­management­blog/bid/362922/Major­Forklift­Accidents­of­2013­and­Steps­to­Avoid­Them­in­2014 4/7

Signage / warning devices: Use signs, convex mirrors, reflective markings to providebetter visibility for predestrians and equipment operators.

For more on creating a safer warehouse, refer to our blog on the complete trafficmanagement checklist.

The elements discussed in this article make up a small part of a much larger safety planand training program for the use of forklifts in your warehouse. To delve further into thesafety measures in relation to forklifts, read our report below.

Topics: warehouse operations, forklift operations, equipment efficiency, forklift accidents

JAMES ARMAH 04/04/2014 02:35:55

Good one there.

Reply to JAMES ARMAH

Forklift Training Melbourne 08/07/2014 05:15:44

Some really useful slides here. I've been looking for something like this to help with a research piece

I've been working on..

Reply to Forklift Training Melbourne

04/02/2015 Major Forklift Accidents of 2013 and Steps to Avoid Them in 2014

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