Is Your Forklift Safety Ready for the Busy Christmas Period?

 

With Christmas just around the corner, experts are predicting a 2.2% rise in seasonal spending compared to last year, which could make it one of the busiest Christmas periods in the last 10 years.

While this is great news for our economy, and hopefully means we’ll all be enjoying a very merry Christmas, it’s essential that businesses, and especially suppliers and retailers, are prepared for the impending rush. One thing that absolutely cannot be overlooked is health and safety, and while some business owners may be concentrating on profit and keeping up with demand if you fall into this trap and neglect your health and safety policy, it could end up costing you much more.

Warehousing equipment, forklift trucks, pallet trucks and staff will be in great demand for the next few weeks, but by following our advice to keep your warehouse safe, you’ll be able to keep up with the Christmas rush and protect yourself against the risks and costs associated with accidents in the workplace.

Stock up on equipment

At this time of year, many materials handling providers will see an increase in hired equipment to help warehouses manage the increased demand. So book your hired forklifts early, with a trusted and certified supplier, to ensure you have everything you need to keep up with the work.

Prepare your staff

Invest in refresher courses for staff that have already been trained, but may not have had to use the equipment or operate machinery for a while. It may not be a legal requirement, but keeping your workers’ skills sharp could drastically reduce the potential downtime caused by accidents.

Prepare for the weather

Businesses can lose a lot of money at any time of year if delivery trucks can’t collect goods, staff can’t get to work, or workers can’t navigate your site safely – but with an increase in profit at stake, it’s especially important over Christmas.

It may be a matter of hiring attachments for your vehicles to move snow, or if you have a large outdoor yard you may have to invest in leasing a snow plough, but at the very least you will need plenty of grit and snow shovels.

Seasonal staff

We all know that increased pressure at work can lead to mistakes as staff cut corners and rush to get their work done, but this is particularly dangerous in warehousing environments as a mistake could lead to a serious accident.

Employing temporary staff to help out over the Christmas period is a great idea, and will help to ensure you are not expecting too much from your permanent staff to the point they may become frustrated, tired and overworked.

However, it is essential you only hire qualified staff or supply them with enough training to let them legally and safely operate machinery. Make sure they are supplied with the correct PPE and are informed of your specific health and safety policy.

Risk assessments

If you are particularly concerned about the increased level of risk in your work environment then carry out a review of your risk assessment. Take into account the increase in machinery, stock and staff, and implement safety precautions that will help to negate the new hazards.

Depending on what type of equipment you use, you may also need to arrange for servicing and maintenance before the Christmas rush, to ensure potential machine faults are identified and remedied before your staff get too busy.

These steps will not just keep your warehouse operating safely over Christmas, but will also help to maintain efficiency and productivity, so you can look forward to a successful Christmas!

The team at safety 1st forklift training offer a range of training courses, tailored to suit the needs of your business, so whether you’re looking for general health and safety courses, risk assessment training or forklift operator training – simply get in touch today.

10 Forklift Tips to Keep Your Workplace Safe

 

Forklifts are incredibly useful pieces of equipment, used throughout many industries to enhance productivity, speed up processes and protect the health and safety of employees. But they can also be extremely dangerous, with thousands of forklift accidents every year resulting in sometimes serious injuries, and usually caused by improper and unsafe operation or lack of training for the operatives.

Below are a few tips that will help you keep your workplace safe and ensure you get the most from your equipment and staff.

1. Provide Proper Training

This is not just a sensible choice, but a legal obligation. As an employer you must ensure that your team are given all the training they need to safely and legally operate a forklift and keep themselves, their workmates and visitors to your site safe and protected from harm.

 

2. Provide Safe Work Wear

Your operators should have access to personal protective clothing:

• A hard hat – a must for any construction environment, development or warehousing facility
• Safety shoes – can be the most simple way to avoid potentially disabling accidents
• Hi-Vis jackets – essential for everyone present on site – not just the operatives
• Tight-fitting clothing – loose clothing, sleeves or trouser legs, can easily become trapped in machinery

 

3. Regular Safety Inspections
During their training, your employees will be taught the importance of pre-use safety checks, and how to properly examine the forklift before it is used – every time. Some of the things to inspect before each use include:

• Brakes
• Steering
• Controls
• Warning devices
• Mast
• Tyres

Any problems or faults uncovered, or any signs of excessive wear and tear that become evident should mean the vehicle is immediately taken out of action until they are resolved. All repairs should be carried out by a fully trained and qualified mechanic or engineer.

All inspections, results and actions should be recorded to evidence your commitment to health and safety.

4. Starting a forklift

As with any vehicle, there are certain things to check before you start the engine that you will not be able to adjust once the vehicle is in motion:

• Mirrors should be positioned to give the individual operator a clear view of everything around them
• The seat and controls will need adjusting for each operative to ensure they are within easy and safe reach
• The operative should be properly and comfortably seated for the journey and have the seatbelt fastened

 

5. Be aware of your surroundings

You should always operate your forklift in line with any site rules, speed limits and safety guidelines, which in most places involve:

• Only driving on designated roads or paths
• Keeping below a 10-mile-per-hour speed limit
• Check signs for low ceilings or doorways, give ways, loading bays & exclusion zones
• Know where the edges of ramps, bays and docks are, so you can safely avoid them.

 

6. Avoiding Hazards
It’s important that you know the area you will be driving in well, as an unseen bump in the road can cause the vehicle to tip and result in injuries to yourself and others, as well as damage to the vehicle.

• Be aware of lumps, bumps, slippery ground and uneven surfaces
• Avoid any loose materials, objects or flooring
• Slow for corners and doorways, especially if your visibility is limited
• Use your horn to warn pedestrians of your approach
• Stay a safe distance from other operatives and vehicles
• Maintain a safe stopping distance at all times

 

7. Safe loading procedures

One of the biggest causes of forklift accidents is unsafe loads. Unevenly balanced, unsecured, too heavy or too high loads can cause vehicles to tip up, resulting in accidents that could have been avoided with proper care. The rules are simple:

• The load should be tilted slightly back, towards the vehicle
• The forks should sit low whilst the vehicle is moving
• Loads should be correctly stacked and spread across both forks
• Use pallets or skid to balance the load
• Check for any overhead obstacles before stacking upwards
• Use ropes, straps and bindings to properly secure loads
• Do not overload the forklift
• Do not push a load with the forks
• Never exceed the maximum capacity of your forklift or attachments
• Always check the load carefully before moving off

 

8. Maintain good visibility

Another contributing factor in many accidents is not being able to see the path ahead clearly – this not only represents a danger to the driver but any pedestrians who may not see the forklift approach. Maintaining a clear view of your journey and load is key to upholding safety.

• Position the load so you can see clearly where you are going keeping it as low as possible
• If necessary, operate the forklift in reverse
• Ensure you can see the load clearly, to check it remains secure
• If the weather is bad, and effective your ability to see clearly, stop driving
• If necessary, get a lookout to assist you and keep them in your sight at all times
• Operate the forklift in reverse when it improves visibility; except when moving up ramps.

 

 

9. Driving on Ramps

Forklift operatives should uphold good working practices at all times, especially when travelling on an on-ramp or incline with a loaded forklift. The rules are simple –

• If you’re travelling uphill, move in a forward direction
• If travelling downhill, move in a backward direction
• Always look in the direction of travel
• Use a lookout for additional safety if necessary
• Stay away from the edge of the ramp
• Do not travel on ramps with no railings
• Do not travel on inclines that exceed the manufacturer’s recommendations
• Never turn, change direction or load on a ramp

 

10. At the end of the shift

Once the task is completed or the operative’s shift ends, the forklift should be returned to the designated area and parked safely in the authorised space.

Operatives should never change mid-shift, or in an unauthorised zone, without the new operative being given the time to check the vehicle and adjust the controls, seat and mirrors to suit them, in a safe and designated area.

If you need help or training let us know 

https://safety1stforklifttraining.com/