Specific OSHA requirements have to be met so as to use any kind of lift truck. A lot of the businesses utilizing forklifts would provide basic training to the other office and sales employees along with visitors and other non operators who may venture into the distribution areas. Even though OSHA doesn't specifically deal with forklift pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers must take measures in order to protect employees from some risks, like for example pedestrians exposed to moving lift trucks.
A big issue that will need to be dealt with is pedestrian safety. Based on the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH; around 20% of all forklift accidents comprise a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic translates to approximately 19,000 people on an annual basis.
However briefly or frequently people are around industrial trucks in their work day, there are several basic steps that must be taken in order to keep everyone safe. One of the major factors is that lift truck pedestrian accidents often occur in cases where the pedestrian is ignorant of safety precautions. Issues also occur more often when the pedestrian has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts and ends up complacent.
So as to avoid putting yourself at possible risk of being struck by a lift truck, there are some common situations to look out for. One of the most common issues is when pedestrians did not see the lift truck. Numerous operations have different degrees of blind corners or intersections that pedestrians should be aware of. Sometimes pedestrians do not hear the lift truck. Be really careful of the different kinds of power sources. For example, electric trucks may be much quieter compared to internal combustion engines that are super loud.
The other main problems are when pedestrians come in too close proximity of the machine. Common sense tells us that in order for a pedestrian to be injured by a lift truck, the pedestrian needs to be near to be struck. For a lift truck that is running, a four foot safety zone is suggested in order to make a safe perimeter for everyone. This helps to deal with risks like the model driving accidentally over the foot of a pedestrian.
Implementing and following strict safety protocol helps to make sure that the workplace safety remains paramount and stays top notch.