Is there a job more fun than driving a forklift?

Operators can spin around corners, race down aisles, and lift large loads with a sense of ease and empowerment.

Sounds like fun, but when working in a warehouse, responsible forklift drivers need to take appropriate care and caution to protect themselves, their colleagues, and the surroundings. Forklift Rivews cites regulatory assessments that 11% of all forklifts—one out of nine—are involved in an accident every year.

Driver training is critical, but it takes more than awareness and training to guard against forklift mishaps and other plant perils. That is why safety barriers are vital to comprehensive warehouse protection for vehicular and foot traffic.

The Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium reports that most forklift accidents involving people do not injure the driver; rather, the workers near the vehicle. According to industry estimates, forklift accidents involving pedestrians account for approximately 20% of non-fatal accidents and 13% of fatalities.

Safety railing systems can create pedestrian passageways in a warehouse and provide a robust physical barrier to separate people from the hazards of forklift traffic. For the inevitable crossing points, floor markings and safety gates alert walkers and drivers to the danger. At highly trafficked intersections, an overhead walkway—with stair and platform handrails—might be the best solution.

Keep reading this article on KeeSafety.ca

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