OSHA requires that forklifts be inspected daily, or after every shift if used round-the-clock. And in April (or any other month) you’d be a fool not to do it.
On the eve of April Fool’s Day, we’re reminded of one of the most foolish things you can do in a workplace: Unsafely operate a forklift truck.
The forklift is truly the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde of materials handling devices. It’s extremely useful—even indispensable—on one hand, and a potential killer on the other. Some 100 people die annually in forklift accidents, and 30,000 more are injured.
To help make your forklift operations safer, we offered a list of forklift safety steps a few weeks ago, including the OSHA requirement that you do an inspection at least daily, or after each shift if the unit is used round-the-clock. Now, courtesy of information provided by performance improvement coach Mike Strawbridge of Cleveland, Tennessee, on the website, ezinearticles.com, we can offer a far more detailed list of what that inspection should include.
Don’t just tell forklift operators what to do. Show them with action footage on DVD in BLR’s Training Solutions Toolkit: Forklift Safety. Read more.
Start at the bottom. Anyone who’s ever driven a car with tires low on air knows how poorly it handles. Now imagine that weirdness compounded by your vehicle having a narrow track, rear-wheel steering, and a heavy load at one end. That’s why Strawbridge says check the tires first, making sure that they are both properly inflated (use a pressure gauge to be positive) and that they have no cracks or missing chunks of tread. The brakes and suspension need checking, too. Does the steering operate crisply and is the brake pedal firm? Once moving, start slowly to detect any abnormal handling or braking.
Check awareness devices. A loaded forklift carries a lot of momentum, so you want to make fellow workers aware that you’re coming or backing up. There are alarms on most trucks, and Strawbridge advises checking their operation going both ways. While making sure others are aware of you, also be sure you can see them by trying the lights and checking that your instruments show full battery voltage.
Stay in control by ensuring that all the unit’s controls are functioning properly. Try each one before using it on loads, looking for loose or binding parts such as a misaligned mast chain. And since the lifting apparatus on many forklifts depends on hydraulic pressure, be extra careful to look for leaks from the hydraulic system.
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On guard. Most forklifts have a variety of guarding devices. Strawbridge recommends checking all of them, and especially that most important guard, the overhead cage. It will do little good if it’s improperly attached and a falling load simply pushes it away on the way to hitting your head.
No April fuel’n. No one’s going anywhere if you run out of fuel or battery charge during your shift, so that, too, needs monitoring. And if your machine has one of those heavy round propane tanks out back, be sure the mountings are tight. It may look like a bomb, and it actually has the explosive power of one. So you don’t want it falling like one!
Information, please. Finally, Strawbridge advises using the data plates affixed to the truck. They’ll tell you whether the machine has a load capacity matched to the job.
What if you note any defects? Take the unit out of service. Then, “place a sign or tag in the unit indicating that repairs are needed before operation,” says Strawbridge. “Do not attempt to repair the unit yourself unless you are qualified.”
While you’re checking the unit, the operator should also check the parking brake, and inside all wheels to check for leaks in the braking system.