8 forklift safety tips

WorkCover NSW is urging all businesses and workers to take extreme care while using forklifts following a number of recent serious incidents where workers have had forklift loads fall onto them.

General Manager of WorkCover’s Work Health and Safety Division, John Watson, reminds businesses and workers to ensure they take adequate safety precautions when working with and around forklifts and pedestrians.

"Incidents involving forklifts are avoidable and constant attention must be paid when working with and around them," Watson said.

"During 2010, 974 workers were injured in incidents involving forklifts.

"On Sunday 11 March, a 42-year-old male worker was killed at an engineering plant at Muswellbrook in the NSW Upper Hunter when a load being carried on a forklift is reported to have fallen onto him.

"While the incident ... is tragic and the number of injured workers a concern, what’s also alarming is that more than 4000 hours were lost at a cost of more than $10 million to the NSW economy." WorkCover is conducting a thorough and comprehensive investigation into the fatal incident and will prepare a report for the Coroner.

WorkCover NSW suggests employers and workers who operate forklifts note the following:

• Employers must ensure that plant is safe when properly used. They also must develop and implement safe systems of work and ensure that employees are provided with the information, instruction, training and supervision that’s required to ensure their health and safety at work.
• Forklift operators must be trained and hold a relevant licence. They also must be competent at operating the forklift in the environments in which they are required to work.
• Before lifting a load, the weight, size, shape and composition of a load should be considered, along with the terrain that the forklift will be travelling over. Loads must only be lifted, carried and stored in a manner that ensures stability at all times.
• When carrying loads, avoid sudden or heavy braking that could cause the load to slide forwards.
• Employers must provide appropriate equipment to lift and transport loads, which for forklifts could mean using specially designed attachments when the tines alone are not suitable. However, attachments must only be used if such use is allowed by the manufacturer. Load rating for the combined use of the attachment with the forklift should be prominently displayed.
• Slip-on attachments should be secured to prevent accidental disengagement from the supporting tines. Do not sling loads from tines, as there may be a risk of the sling sliding off the tines. If necessary (and allowed by the manufacturer), use a jib or other specifically designed attachment to carry underslung loads.
• Employers must implement controls to prevent forklifts colliding with pedestrians or other mobile plant. These could include traffic management plans, signage, proximity warning devices, ‘no-go’ and ‘pedestrian only’ areas, site layout, using safely positioned spotters and other similar measures.
• Forklifts have numerous blind spots, especially if the carried load obstructs forward view. Operators should ensure other persons are excluded from the area or, where this is not reasonable practicable, remain in view at all times. Workers in the vicinity of operating forklifts should position themselves to be visible by the driver and remain clear of the travel path.