Safety Instructions About Forklifts

Forklifts are industrial vehicles made to take the place of manual lifting and manual work. There are two “forks” or arms located at the front of the vehicle that are used to lift, lower, stack and unstack heavy loads. The loads are usually stacked on top of wooden pallets that the arms or forks fit into to bring a large quantity of things up or down at once. The drivers cause almost 50% of accidents involving forklifts. Normally, the driver has hit a pedestrian. Therefore, forklifts and people should not be in the vicinity of each other. Some other forklift related accidents include: Forklift tipping over and overturning Collision with other vehicles or stationary objects Part of the operator's body leaning out of the cabin and hitting an object The load falling off the pallets There are things that can be done by the employee to reduce the number of forklift accidents. First, the driver should always perform a pre-safety check of the vehicle before operating. Once the driver sees that all is in tact, while driving the vehicle the driver should use safe handling procedures of the load. This includes paying close attention to the load limit of each particular forklift. Since forklifts are a gas-powered vehicle, gasoline limits and storage should be carefully observed. In addition to safe fuel use, the battery also needs to be handled and cared for properly to ensure safety. Here are a few safety procedures that should be followed by all employees. Some of them may seem like common sense, but they are so important that they are in need of repeating. Passengers on forklifts to be strictly forbidden, unless there is a separate seat provided with a restraint Other people kept clear when forklift is operating Operator should take care when moving between artificial and natural light Load made secure and lowered to safe centre of gravity before carrying Sudden stops and starts are to be avoided No part of the operator's body to protrude beyond the overhead protection Ramps not to be used unless the forklift operator is trained in their use Operator to remain seated and secured at all times Forklift to operate within a designated area, separate from pedestrians Operator to remain in the cabin when a forklift overturns Most importantly: PEOPLE SHOULD NEVER BE RAISED ON THE FORKLIFT OR THE PALLETS IF THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO LIFT A WORKER, A PROPER WORK PLATFORM MUST BE USED In addition to checking the vehicle daily for safety hazards, the workplace should also be checked for the following: Power-lines Blind corners Pedestrian areas Low doorways Uneven floors Ramps Overhead pipes and fittings Confined spaces Adequate lighting Noise Above all else, a training coarse must be completed before attempting to drive or operate a forklift. Besides formal instruction, the training must include practical training (such as demonstrations) and an evaluation of the operator in the workplace to assure that he can operate the forklift safely. Initial training content must consist of both truck-related topics and workplace-related topics. Some truck-related topics include: operating instructions, warnings and precautions specific to the trucks the employee will be authorized to operate differences between the truck and the automobile truck controls and instrumentation engine or motor operation steering and maneuvering visibility fork and attachment adaptation, operation and use limitations; vehicle capacity vehicle stability any vehicle inspection and maintenance that the operator must perform; refueling and/or charging and recharging of batteries operating limitations any other information from the forklift operator's manual. Some workplace related topics include: surface conditions where the vehicle will be operated composition of loads and load stability load manipulation, stacking and unstacking pedestrian traffic narrow aisles and other restricted places where the vehicle will be operated any hazardous (classified) locations, such as flammable storage areas, where the vehicle will be operated ramps and other sloped surfaces; closed environments and other areas where insufficient ventilation or poor vehicle maintenance could cause a buildup of carbon monoxide or diesel exhaust; and other unique or potentially hazardous environmental conditions in the workplace.

Read More

Tactical Driving Tips

The winter and driving shopping season is right around the corner. We need to remember that in the winter, with snow and freezing conditions, our driving tactics need to change. Accidents will occur on the snow and ice that wouldn't on dry pavement. This article will cover the important things to remember and how to drive safely. The most important thing that everyone needs to remember is that you cannot stop as fast on icy or snow covered pavement. You need to drive slower which will give you more time to slow down. When you need to come to a stop anywhere give yourself more time by starting to slow down earlier than usual. When driving behind other vehicles make sure that you leave a bigger distance between you and the vehicle in front. This way you will have more time to slow down and also react to unexpected stops. Slow down everywhere and anything that you do. Take turns slower, drive on straight roads slower and slow down alittle even on slight curves in the road. Anytime you have to turn that steering wheel ease of the gas appropiately. You need to be deliberate in all your actions. Anytime that you need to push on the pedals, gas or brake, do it easily and steady. When making a turn ease that steering wheel slowly and don't make fast jerky movements. Always be aware of your road conditions. Even when it is not snowing the road will ice up in places where there is moisture. This will happen more during the overnight hours when it is colder and there is no sunlight. Sometimes a spot will look just wet but is is actually ice, "black ice" as we know it. Be aware of bridges and overpasses. These road surfaces are always colder and therefore freezes up first. If you do find yourself on ice just coast, don't brake or turn the wheel, until you pass over it. Drive defensively. Always be on the lookout for other motorists that are making all of the mistakes. Approach intersections cautiously looking for other skidding vehicles. Keep an eye in your rear view mirror for vehicles hitting you from behind. Keep enough distance away from everyone so you don't become part of their accident. Even after taking all your precautions you will eventually find yourself involved in a sliding situation. When you do, DON'T PANIC! Take your foot of the gas and don't hit the brakes. You then want to steer your car into the skid. People always hear that but don't know what to do anyway. If you are driving straight and the rear of your vehicle is sliding to the left and the front of the vehicle to the right, then you need to countersteer your car to the left. If the car corrects itself then straighten the wheel back out. Sometimes the car will over correct itself and now it is sliding the other way. If this happens just countersteer again in the opposite direction. Follow these tips and hopefully you won't become the next accident statistic. People with suv's are not immune to these rules. Remember not to drink and drive, stay off of your cell phone and always wear your seatbelt.

Read More

Looking After Your Cars Tires

A piece of advice that I've always taken to heart when looking after a car was 'always look after your breaks and tires'. Sound advice as these are obviously two of the most important pieces of safety equipment on any vehicle, and are relatively inexpensive to care for. To ensure that your tires are always in tip-top condition I suggest you check your tire pressure regularly. It is important that tires are inflated to the correct pressure to ensure the best grip on the road. Remember over-inflated tires will wear more in the center of the tire, whereas under-inflated tires have a tendency to wear more on the outside of the tire. Always check your tire pressure before long trips and make sure the spare tire is in good condition and properly inflated in case of an emergency. It is also advisable to check your vehicle owner's handbook for the correct tire pressure for your car in different circumstances. For example, tire pressure can be different if carrying heavy loads or towing trailers for example. Always check for uneven wear and tear of the tire. As stated previously it is important that the tire is correctly inflated, but other causes of uneven wear include wheel alignment issues. In these instances it is always advisable to have your local garage check out the vehicle. All tires have tire tread wear indicators, small rubber markers in the tread to show you the minimum depth that your tires tread should be. If you are nearing these markers, its time to replace the tires. In general it's always advisable to slow down when going over pot-holes, or try to avoid them if you can. This goes for curbs as well. This will help you increase your tire's life, reduce the chance of disturbing the alignment of your wheels and generally avoid accidental damage to the tires.

Read More