

OSHA requires training programs to combine formal instruction, such as lectures and written material, with practical training and a workplace performance evaluation. 178 – establishes that “the employer shall ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation” outlined in the standard.
Osha forklift accident statistics 2021 driver#
The guide further states that “an untrained forklift operator can be as dangerous as an unlicensed driver of a motor vehicle.” OSHA’s Powered Industrial Trucks Standard –. workers were killed in incidents involving forklifts in 2015.Ī safety guide published by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries states that workers without proper training and knowledge of forklift operation, as well as operators who maneuver forklifts carelessly, have an increased risk of injury or death.Ī commitment to safety begins with proper training. Further, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 96 U.S. OSHA estimates that 35,000 serious injuries and 62,000 non-serious injuries involving forklifts occur annually. Safety+Health consulted safety professionals, agency officials and the National Safety Council to help shape the following five forklift safety guidelines.

Those are just a few best practices that can be used to foster forklift safety on the job. “They reinforce safety by constantly telling you to look over both shoulders while not looking up, keeping your seat belt on, exiting the forklift with three points of contact and not driving with the lift up,” Evans said. Winner Chris Evans, a forklift operator for Elgin Plywood in Elgin, OR, appreciated organizers’ efforts. Operators always should wear seat belts and never engage in horseplay.Īs it should, safety superseded speed during the forklift rodeo portion of the Blue Mountain Occupational Safety and Health Conference this past June in Pendleton, OR. Be mindful of a forklift’s open operator structure, speed limitations and stability differences. Operators should inspect forklifts before each job, checking seat belts, tires, lights, horn, brakes, backup alarms, fluid levels, and moving and load-supporting forklift parts.178 – requires training programs to include components of formal instruction, practical training and a workplace performance evaluation. OSHA’s standard on powered industrial trucks –.
