HowtoSafelyOperateaForklift

Introduction:

AccordingtoOSHA,onlytrainedandauthorizedoperatorsarepermittedtooperatepoweredindustrialtrucks.Understandinghowtooperateaforklift(PIT)safelycanhelpavoidinjuriesandpropertydamage.

Completethepre-operationalinspection,anddonotoperateaforkliftthatrequiresrepairs.

Whenoperatingaforklift,alwaysfastenyourseatbelt,avoidquickmaneuversandsuddenturns,andensureyouareincompletecontrolofthetruck.

DiscussionPoints:

• OperateaForkliftonlyifyouhavebeentrainedandcertified.

• Completethepre-operationalinspection,andifnecessarythepost-operationalinspection.

• Alwaysfastenyourseatbeltwhenoperatingaforklift.

• Driveatasafespeed,looktowardthepathoftravel,keepaclearview,andwatchforpedestrians.

• Followthework-siterulesandOSHARegulations.

Discussion:

Whenoperatingaforklift,alwaysfollowthework-siterulesandregulations.Neverleaveanoperatingforkliftunattended.Nevertravelwithforksraisedmorethan6inchesabovetheground.Alwayslookbehindyoubeforebackinguporturningtheforklift,andalwayswatchforpedestrians.Soundthehornatcrossaislesandotherlocationswherevisionisobstructed.Whenpossibleuseaspotter,theycanbeveryimportanttoyoursafety.Whenmorethanoneforkliftisinuse,keepatleast3forkliftlengthsbetweentrucks.Whenpassingotherforklifts,maintainatleast3feetbetweenthetrucks,andkeepyourarmsandlegsinsideofyourownforklift.Beawareofoverheadobstructions.Useonlyapprovedattachments,andwhenusingtheforklifttoelevatepersonnel,securetheelevatingplatformtotheliftingcarriageorforksoftheforklift.Neverexceedtheliftingcapacityoftheforklift.Whentheforkliftisnotinuse,parkitinasafedesignatedarea.

Asalways,besafeoutthere!

March 25, 2019