With the frequency of accidents involving forklifts on the rise (more than three people are hospitalised per day on average in the UK, according to the Health and Safety Executive), it's no surprise that forklift manufacturers are taking steps to improve operator safety.
However, these measures for the most part do not address the fact that, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, around 20 percent of people injured in forklift accidents in the United States are pedestrians who have been struck by the machines, which most of the time they don't see coming.
That's where FORKLIGHT, a new project out of the UK, comes into play.
Materials Handling World Magazine reports that FORKLIGHT, which is compatible with all types of forklifts, is designed to alert pedestrians when a forklift is in their immediate vicinity using strategically placed flashing LEDs. In addition to improving safety for both operators and pedestrians, the innovative and low-cost system provides enhanced operational performance.
FORKLIGHT director Jonathan Laker told the magazine: "We believe that FORKLIGHT has the capability to impacting significantly on improving and advancing forklift safety for both operational staff and those who are deployed to work within close proximity of them. Not only does the system catch your attention instantly, it is clearly visible in both the bright lit production areas and dim lit warehousing environments.
"The appeal of FORKLIGHT is not only its simplicity, it is the fact that it delivers both health and safety and operational advantages, and we have been in discussions with various end users and its integration would certainly be seen as a priority amongst those involved in health and safety and the purchase/lease of forklift capital equipment.