In celebration of Forklift Safety Day on June 11, 2024, the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) is reminding material handling professionals of the essentials for staying safe on and around forklifts by providing downloadable safety resources.
“It can be easy for forklift operators to let safety precautions fall by the wayside when workload demand picks up, but even the simplest precautions can be the difference between a regular day and an accident,” said Jim Bunsey, senior manager of business development at PERC. “By taking time to review safety essentials with the team, owners and managers can help prevent forklift accidents.”
Forklift safety tips include:
- Complete a routine check of equipment before operating and notify management of damages or problems.
- Wear proper PPE, such as hard hats, protective footwear, eye protection, and high-visibility clothing on the warehouse floor and while operating a forklift.
- Buckle up every time. This may seem obvious, but it’s one of the most important tips to remember. Overturned forklifts are one of the leading causes of forklift-related accidents.
- Move slowly and use the horn. When vision is obstructed, it’s easy to have a collision. Using the horn at every intersection will keep pedestrians and other operators safe.
- Know your forklift’s weight capacity. Weight capacity markings are there for a reason — to keep operators safe. Exceeding the weight capacity of a forklift significantly increases the risk of tipping.
- Lower, park, and set. When finished operating a forklift, it’s important to always lower the forks, use the parking brake, and set the controls to neutral. Safely parking the machine reduces the risk of unintended movement and injury. If parking on an incline, be sure to use wheel blocks to secure the machine further.
- Close the service valves on propane cylinders when not in use. This helps prevent potential injury around internal combustion engines and unintended fuel loss.
- Mind the ramp. Drivers should always carry a load pointing up an incline. If unloaded, keep the forks pointed downgrade.
- Inspect forklift fleets regularly. Regular maintenance helps prevent unnecessary damage to the equipment and helps keep employees safe.
- Keep forklifts clean and free from excess oil and grease.
- Inspect cylinders before operation. Check propane cylinders for rusting, dents, gouges, and leaks. Cylinders that show signs of wear or leaks shouldn’t be used and may need to be replaced, even if within the cylinder’s requalification date. Confirm the cylinder valve is closed before connecting.
- Secure the pressure relief valve on the cylinder. Operators should check that the pressure relief valve fitting is roughly 180 degrees from the forklift’s locating pin.
Download forklift safety resources and more at propane.com/SafetyFirst.
About PERC: The Propane Education & Research Council is a nonprofit that provides leading propane safety and training programs and invests in research and development of new propane-powered technologies. PERC is operated and funded by the propane industry. For more information, visit propane.com.
Contributed by the Propane Education & Research Council
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