Specific OSHA requirements need to be met in order to utilize any kind of lift truck. Many of the companies using forklifts would offer basic training to the other office and sales employees in combination with visitors and other non operators who may venture into the distribution areas. Though OSHA doesn't particularly address lift truck pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers should take measures in order to protect employees from some risks, like pedestrians exposed to lift trucks in motion.
A huge issue that would have to be dealt with is pedestrian safety. Based on the NIOSH or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health; roughly 20 percent of all forklift mishaps comprise a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic translates to roughly 19,000 individuals on a yearly basis.
In order to keep everyone safe, there are some basic steps that should be taken into account. This is regardless to how briefly or frequently individuals are around industrial trucks in their work day. One of the main factors is that forklift pedestrian accidents usually happen in cases where the pedestrian is not aware of safety measures. Problems also happen more frequently when the pedestrian has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts and ends up complacent.
In order to avoid putting yourself at potential risk of being struck by a forklift, there are several common situations to look out for. Amongst the most common problems is when pedestrians did not see the lift truck. Numerous operations have different degrees of intersections or blind corners that pedestrians must be aware of. At times pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be really careful of the different types of power sources. For instance, electric trucks could be a lot quieter than internal combustion engines which are really loud.
The other main issues are when pedestrians come in too near the machinery. Common sense tells us that in order for a pedestrian to be injured by a lift truck, the pedestrian needs to be near to be struck. For a forklift that is working, a four foot safety zone is suggested so as to make a safe perimeter for everyone. This helps to deal with risks like for instance the unit accidentally driving over the foot of a pedestrian.
Implementing and following strict safety protocol helps to make certain that the workplace safety remains paramount and stays top notch.