Forklifts are the backbone of most, if not all, operation departments involved in the movement of inventory and heavy loads in the warehouse and at job sites. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), forklift accidents are higher when compared with other industrial machinery. Statistics given by OSHA, around 110,000 forklift-related accidents occur yearly. To avoid the occurrence of forklift-related accidents in the workplace, it is best that you introduce well-defined safety training programs as well as standards in your workplace. In this blog, we share some crucial pointers on how you can improve your safety with or around forklifts.
Equipment Condition
Before talking about safety standards, training, and any other related matters. It is important to make sure that the equipment is working properly. To this end, all forklift trucks must receive scheduled maintenance as and when it falls due. It is also important to make sure that the dealer that services your equipment has a good reputation in their industry in terms of their expertise. Browse the web for a list of the best forklift dealers in Atlanta or anywhere else near you and try to isolate the one that best meets your needs. Forklift operators must also be encouraged to inspect their trucks every morning before they start work and to also report all issues as soon as they spot them. Taking action on such important issues must be carried out without any delay.
Safety Work Culture
A culture of safety must be inculcated across the company. First, you need to make sure that all forklift operators are certified and receive safety training which is regularly updated as and when necessary. The companyโs safety policy and rules must be clearly spelled out. There must be a deliberate effort to make sure that workers are familiar with such policy and rules. A system of enforcement should be in place to encourage safe work practices and also recognize those who excel on the safety front.
Visual Cues
There must be ample signs, instructions, and notices around the workplace to remind and encourage workers to adhere to safe practices. Things such as warehouse safety guidelines must be clearly displayed on the walls at strategic locations, you must also make use of safety signs and labels at all points that are susceptible to accidents. These labels signs or markings can be on the walls, roof, even on the racking system. Notices, reminders and guidelines can also be located at the forklift cockpit reminding them of things such as environmental awareness and the need to monitor their speed.
Last word
As mentioned before, the road to attaining the desired safety laws in and around your workplace starts with your choice when hunting for a dealer. If you are in the market for a forklift for sale, forklift parts, forklift rental, or forklift service make sure to choose a company that offers a full folio of services from the list of the best forklift dealers in Atlanta or any other place. Go for one that offers you experience, cost-effective deals, used forklifts for sale, forklift rental, forklift repair service, and OEM spare forklift parts. Browse the web for options and always remember to carry out some background search into each and every one of them to establish their reputation in the industry.