Are Your Forklifts Following OSHA Rules?

Forklifts Featured Forklift Operator Safety

Violating OSHA rules and regulations for forklifts can not only lead to infractions and fines for your Indiana warehouse, but can also endanger your employees’ safety. Here are some things to consider to make sure your forklift drivers and employees are following OSHA rules and that you have a safe work environment.

Forklift Age Restrictions

It’s against federal law for anyone under 18 to operate a forklift, with some exceptions for family agricultural businesses. So do your due diligence when hiring employees and when assigning tasks day-to-day to make sure you’re not violating any regulations.

Forklift Operator Training

All forklift operators are required to undergo proper forklift operator training and certification on all of the equipment they’re handling and for each specific job they’re responsible for. The training needs to be OSHA-compliant and include instruction for operating the machine, loading and unloading, maintenance, and more.

After certification, occasional performance evaluations are necessary. And if an employee is seen working with the equipment in an unsafe manner, or an accident occurs, they must take a refresher training course.

Operating Vehicles Correctly

Accidents are most likely to occur when forklifts are in operation. According to OSHA, the majority of forklift accidents are due to a forklift overturning, a pedestrian being struck by a forklift, a person being crushed by a forklift, and a fall from a forklift that’s on a grade or dock.

Here are just some of the guidelines to follow to prevent accidents and keep employees safe:

  • ?Operate vehicles at a safe speed to avoid tipovers and give drivers adequate time to stop.
  • ?Have drivers slowly approach crossways where view is obstructed and use their horns to let others know they’re moving through the area.
  • ?Take extra care on turns and grades as this is when tipovers are most likely to occur. Never turn on a grade.
  • ?Don’t raise or lower the forks when the forklift is moving.
  • ?Make sure all operators know what to do in case a forklift does start to tip over.

Forklift Maintenance

Regular forklift maintenance is important to keeping vehicles running well and your employees safe. Companies must inspect forklifts daily for any signs of damage that needs to be repaired, and any unsafe equipment needs to be removed until it’s safe to operate again.

Some basic items to check daily include:

  • Tires and brakes
  • Any leaks in the forklift
  • Electrical systems
  • Fluid levels

Look through this daily forklift maintenance checklist or visit OSHA’s guide to forklift inspection and maintenance to make sure all systems are a go.

OSHA-Compliant Training and Maintenance in Indiana

Need help with employee forklift training that meets OSHA standards? Or do you need some extra hands with maintaining your equipment? At Tynan we work with warehouses all over Indiana to keep their workers safe and their equipment in tip-top shape. Call us today at 317-597-4003 to discuss your training and equipment needs.

OSHA regulations are strict when it comes to Indiana forklift safety.

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