Forklift Safety

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Did you know one out of six workplace deaths are caused by forklifts? Or that every year there are more than 60,000 forklift related injuries? Forklifts are critical for material handling and warehousing but with thousands of pounds moving around a facility, it’s easy for safety to be compromised.

OSHA estimates that about 70% of forklift accidents could be prevented if companies implemented more stringent training policies. So, what does a forklift safety program look like?

Hazard Identification: Employers should assess how forklifts are being used in their facility, looking for hazards, talking with operators about concerns, and evaluating pedestrian safety. As part of their daily inspections, operators should know what hazards to look for and how to either remedy the situation or report it to a manager.
Safety Signs & Floor Marking: Having a safe environment for forklifts is key to preventing accidents. Safety signs and floor marking can be used to establish a traffic pattern, enforce a safe speed limit, create crosswalks, alert drivers to hazards, demarcate parking spaces, and so much more. Having a clear, well-planned visual communication strategy will keep operators, pedestrians, and facility visitors safe.
Certification & Training: Forklift operators must be properly trained, certified, and evaluated in accordance with OSHA standard 1910.178(l). Training forklift operators helps organizations avoid injuries or fatalities, hefty OSHA penalties, high insurance premiums, property damage, high maintenance costs, etc.

At Creative Safety Supply, we are here to help you improve facility safety. Refresh yourself and your workers on forklift safety and learn how to create a safe environment for forklift operations. Our free resources include infographics, articles, podcasts, and much more.

Getting Started

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Forklift Safety Procedures

Forklifts are powerful tools that have transformed the way industrial facilities work. With such a powerful tool comes the risk of injury. This article outlines how to increase forklift safety. …

Floor Marking for Factories

Factories are busy, active environments with a lot happening at all times. Floor marking is a low-cost way of improving efficiency, safety, and organization. …

Floor Marking for Facility Safety

The best way to enhance safety is keeping workers informed, and floor markings are the most reliable, durable method of ensuring that everyone is aware of potential hazards. …

Floor Marking for Door Openings

Every time a door opens, it presents a potential hazard to anyone on the opposite side. With careful floor marking, you can massively reduce this risk and prevent numerous injuries. …

Industrial Floor Marking Guidelines

OSHA doesn’t offer much guidance on how floor markings should be installed, so we’ve compiled some helpful tips and best practices to ensure your markings are useful, straightforward, and helpful to everyone in your facility. …

Forklift Safety

Forklift safety injuries have been on the rise and its up to you to help fix it. Here are some forklift safety tips to help you get started. …

Warehouse Management

Proper warehouse management can dramatically improve both efficiency and safety. This article covers everything you need to know. …

Floor Markings for Forklift Safety

Installing floor markings for forklift traffic can help improve safety and efficiency in warehouses and factories. Take these steps to keep employees safe. …

15 Forklift Safety Tips [Industry Expert Advice for Safe Operation]

This helpful list for drivers provides 15 practical tips for safe forklift operation. …

Forklift Safety Questions and Answers

How are Forklifts Safely Operated?

There are many different hazards that exist in the workplace. Forklifts are frequently involved in accidents and injuries because of the fact that they are used so often in many different environments. While there is no doubt that forklifts can be hazardous, they are also considered an essential piece of equipment in many workplaces. Fortunately,… …

What Hazards Does a Forklift Pose?

Forklifts are one of the most important pieces of equipment in many different workplaces. Whether it is a warehouse, a manufacturing facility, a construction site, or any number of other situations, forklifts allow you to efficiently move items around with ease. While they are undoubtedly practical, they can also be very dangerous if not used… …

How Often Should Operators Inspect Their Forklifts?

One of the most important things that can be done to improve forklift safety is to make sure that the forklift itself is in proper working order. To do this, forklifts need to be properly inspected on a regular basis. While a detailed inspection by a mechanic may only need to be done occasionally, the… …

What are the Most common Forklift Accidents?

If you have forklifts operating in your facility, you need to make sure that you are doing everything possible to minimize the risk of accidents and injuries. When an accident occurs with a forklift, it can cause severe damage, injury, or even death, which is why this is such a serious issue. While there are… …

How can Visual Communication Reduce Forklift Injury or Accident?

Every warehouse, factory, and construction site is going to be unique, but what almost all of them have in common is that they can be very loud. This means when someone is operating a forklift or other piece of equipment, it can be difficult to communicate with them through just talking (or even yelling). On… …

What PPE is Required for Forklift Operators?

Forklift safety is extremely important because any accident with a forklift can cause serious injuries, extensive property damage, and even fatalities. One of the most important things you can do to make a forklift safer is to make sure that the operator is protected as much as possible. This means equipping them with the right… …

Are Forklift Operators Required to Wear a Seatbelt?

Forklift safety is a complex subject. All facilities need to make sure that they are doing everything they can to ensure forklifts are being operated in a way that is as safe as possible. While there are many different forms of personal protection equipment, visual communication, operation requirements, and other things that can be done… …

How Can I Improve Forklift Safety in My Facility?

Workplace safety is an essential goal that all companies should be focusing on. One of the best places to start is going to be with forklift safety since there are many accidents and injuries involving forklifts each year. Fortunately, there are quite a few simple things that you can do to improve forklift safety in… …

Why is Forklift Safety Important?

Everyone knows that workplace safety is extremely important. Unsafe working environments are far less profitable in most cases, and can even be shut down by OSHA or other agencies. When trying to decide where to put your time, money, and effort in terms of safety improvements, many people don’t consider forklift safety. The reality is,… …

How can workplace design prevent forklift accidents?

Preventing forklift accidents often begin with the design of the facility. While it's important for operators to have proper training, the environment plays a major role in avoiding forklift related injuries and fatalities. Preventing Forklift Related Accidents Avoid serious injuries by taking the following forklift safety tips into consideration when setting up your facility: Aisle width: Aisles… …

How does floor marking affect forklift safety?

Forklifts are used in most facilities throughout the world. They make it faster and easier to move items around a warehouse or other location much more efficiently. Unfortunately, they can also be very dangerous. Approximately 20,000 people are injured in workplace accidents involving a forklift each year in America. With this in mind, it is… …

Does OSHA have forklift regulations?

Forklifts are one of the most common types of vehicles used in many workplaces. They can be found in manufacturing, warehouses, shipping facilities, and much more. While the benefits of a forklift are obvious, the hazards associated with them can often be overlooked. This is why it is so important to take forklift safety throughout… …

Why would a forklift tip over?

When operated properly, forklifts are a great way to lift and move a variety of different types of objects in the workplace. They can safely transport pallets loaded with just about anything one can imagine, and bring it to the location where it is needed. Forklifts can, however, tip over if they aren’t operated properly.… …

Why is forklift safety training important?

A forklift is a very popular type of vehicle used in a variety of different work environments. Compared to many other types of equipment, forklifts are also quite easy to operate. This can make it tempting to allow people to operate forklifts without the necessary training. Unfortunately, this can lead to significant hazards that could… …

Is forklift certification required?

Forklift certifications are an interesting topic, and one where there is a lot of misinformation that people believe. OSHA requires that forklift operators be trained and certified before they can run a forklift on their own. They do not, however, offer any type of training or certification program. In addition, they don’t endorse or approve… …

Who needs a forklift certification?

Any facility that has to move large or heavy items around will typically want to have a forklift available to perform this task. Whenever a forklift is in use, an operator has to be behind the wheel controlling it. In order to be able to operate a forklift, individuals need to obtain a forklift certification.… …

Who issues forklift licenses?

In order to operate a forklift in the United States, OSHA requires that operators are certified to show that they know how to run these machines safely. Many people think that in order to drive a forklift one must attain a special forklift license, but that is not the case. Instead, it is only necessary… …

How often should forklift training be provided?

Providing employees with forklift training is an important part of keeping everyone safe. Forklift operators will obviously need the most training since they will be the ones performing the bulk of the duties on these machines. Other people who work with or around forklifts, however, will also benefit from proper training. Understanding what type of… …

Who should be trained on forklift safety?

Forklift safety training is an important part of minimizing hazards in the workplace. At first, most people would assume that only forklift operators will need forklift safety training, but that is not actually the case. Just about everyone who works with or around forklifts can benefit from at least some level of training. Of course,… …

How is forklift training conducted?

Forklift training is essential for all forklift operators. In fact, OSHA requires that forklift operators are properly trained and certified by their employer before they can operate this type of machinery. Employers are the ones who are directly responsible for ensuring all operator receive the training they need before they ever get behind the wheel… …

Can forklifts carry passengers?

Forklifts are known for being able to pick things up and transport them to various places within a facility. While they are great for moving lots of different things, they certainly aren’t designed for everything. When it comes to moving people, for example, a forklift should only be carrying the operator. Forklifts are not designed… …

Are forklifts more dangerous than a car?

Forklifts are a very common type of workplace vehicle which are used to move millions of tons of products each year. While they are an essential machine for many workplaces, they can also be very dangerous. In fact, workplace vehicles (including forklifts) are responsible for a large portion of all workplace accidents and fatalities. This… …

Do forklift operators need to be certified?

If a worker is required to drive industrial vehicles such as forklifts in their workplace, they absolutely do need a certification to operate the vehicle. In fact, certification is required by law. OSHA 1910.178 (i)(6) states that all forklift operators must complete proper training and on-site evaluation before they may operate powered industrial trucks. Forklifts come… …