Forklift Safety: A Lifesaving Guide
INTRODUCTION TO FORKLIFTS
The forklift is a commonly used and driven tool that helps people lift and move
heavy loads with very little physical effort and excellent precision. Using a
forklift lessens the risk of injuries caused be lifting or carrying heavy items.
For this reason many companies employ forklift and forklift operators to do
this kind of labor. These machines are powerful and there is always risk
involved when they are used by people who have not been trained on
operating them safely.
The National Traumatic Occupational Surveillance System registered 1530
worker deaths from forklift accidents between the years 1980 and 2001. Of
these accidents the biggest portion, 22% were caused by a forklift overturn.
Collisions between workers on the ground where the ground worker died
accounted for 20% of deaths. Another 16% of deaths were caused by
someone being crushed by the forklift and 9% by an operator falling from the
forklift. In fact, each year almost 100 people are killed and another 20,000
injured from forklift accidents. With proper training and diligent safety
practices most of these deaths could have been prevented. If you