A typical forklift for warehouse use weighs an average of about 9,000 pounds, and this can be quite dangerous if you leave in the hands of operators who have no knowledge about the right safety tips. Throughout the day, forklift operators constantly jump in and out of their Moffett forklift, making it easier for them to consider fastening their seat belt every time an irrelevant task. When it comes to forklift safety, seat belts are important, just as it applies to every other vehicle.
They are especially effective during times of accidents. A well-fastened seat belt will help to keep the operator in a secured position and prevent them from possible injuries in the case of an accident. Roughly, there are about 85 forklift fatalities in a year, and wearing safety seat belts plays an important role to prevent mishaps from occurring. If you operate a forklift, you need to go through proper training and learn how to utilize all the safety tools to minimize the risks of fatality or injury when you drive the forklift.
The OSHA Forklift Training
OSHA training is an important safety measure that you need to know to operate the forklift and the use of the seatbelt. OSHA regulations require you to wear seat belts. A secure seat belt will help you to save your life and forklift requirements allow wearing them in areas including warehouses, dockyards, construction sites, distribution centers, marinas, landscaping jobs, and other areas that require forklift use. Through proper training, you can take the relevant precautionary measures
The Consequences of Neglecting Wearing Forklift Seat Belts
So many forklift operators neglect the importance and power of wearing forklift seat belts while driving their Moffett Truck, including how dangerous it could be or lead to accidents. Usually, smaller companies do not enforce the use of seat belts and since many weigh over 9000 pounds, operators can possibly compete with the weight in the case of a tip over.
Note that in the event of a tip over the accident, the operators who do not wear their seat belt will fall off from their forklift if they attempt to jump out. This can result in them caught underneath. The weight of the forklift could be enough to cause a splinter to a limb, or worse crash the operator. It is possible to eliminate the risks of industrial accidents by simply taking some seconds to remember the seat belt importance and the fact that a tip over can lead to accidents, injuries and possibly death.
A lack of enforced seat belt in the workplace can also lead to fines.
According to the CDC, forklift tip-overs are the most common and deadly accidents. They result when drivers drive the forklift too fast, carry excessively heavy loads, turn around corners suddenly, carry an unbalanced load, or access a ramp in a wrong way. Serious fatalities and injuries also lead to top accidents. To avoid such problems, it is a requirement by all forklift operators to equip their vehicle with seat belts and other restraints. Although OSHA has no specific law required to use seat belts, they require that employers should provide operators with a safe working environment, enforcing seat belt use would help to prevent tip-over accidents.
The major reasons why a forklift may tip over includes unbalanced cargo load, traveling too fast, and the transportation of heavyweight down a slope. Wearing your seatbelt is a wise choice at all times.
The Causes of Forklift Tip-Overs
Some of the main reasons why warehouse workers die from tip-overs are because they fail to jump out in the event of tipping since they do not wear their seatbelt. When a worker comes under the lift truck, the machine weight will liquefy the splinter limb, rending it inoperable.
Tips for Staying Safe in the Incident of a Forklift Tip Over
Some of the tips for staying safe in case a forklift tip over occurs include:
- Ensure that you secure the seat belt and adjust it whenever necessary, or each time you enter the forklift.
- Lean away from the sudden impact
- Stay firm on the seat by bracing your feet onto Moffett forklift floor firmly and push hard against the steering wheel.
- Ensure that you lean away from the impact point and lean left if the truck tips to the right.
- Keep your hands leaning forward with your hands on the wheel in order to support your upper body
To avoid tip-overs, you have to keep your lifts maximum load capacity in check and maintain a safe speed. You should avoid sudden navigation and turns. Regardless of all the safety precautions, tip-overs of forklifts happen and if you secure the seat belt well, there is a chance that you will be able to stay away from problems.