There are actually a variety of important steps in forklift training which concern specifically to lift truck safety. For starters, it is very important to make certain that all employees have been properly taught and certified to utilize the machinery. This is a big piece of equipment which we are talking about. You simply cannot take risks with it. Forklift training is essential business that must be taken seriously. If you choose to skip this process, extreme results could eventually catch up with you. Permitting improperly taught and inexperienced individuals to drive forklifts could result in severe damage, very bad injuries and even death.
Make it a standard company guideline to always use seatbelts, all the time, no matter what. This is a simple subject that employees often become lax about, particularly since the equipment is just traveling 10 miles an hour. Employees often assume that they will not have any issues and thus, begin not wearing them. This is where the danger can happen, as it is easy for an accident to happen which can have devastating outcome. This is not a car or a truck; the seatbelt is not required to hold them inside the cab if they run into something. In a lift truck, the purpose is a lot more significant, even if the machine travels at low speeds, in the unfortunate event of a tip-over, the seatbelt holds the operator in place secure in the operator's seat so they will not tumble out and be accidentally crushed beneath.
A well-organized reporting system has to be implemented in the event of any mechanical problems or issues happening. Employees need a logical way to communicate these situations so that individuals who are accountable for fixing them will. Employees should be familiar enough with the machine that they understand at least the very basics of what could go wrong.
To be able to solve lift truck issues before they become a possibly risky and costly, drivers should be able to identify most issues. Having a reliable reporting system in place is very essential for workplaces that run on shift work. For instance, if one driver is having a problem and he leaves, and the next operator doesn't know the issue during his shift, then terrible situations could arise. Lift truck training is a lot more involved than just knowing simply how to use the machinery.
No matter if a worker feels that the machine is overturning, instruct your employees to not hop out of a forklift. The right thing to do in this dangerous situation is to lean away from the turn while staying in the cab and holding on firmly.