Forklift Operator Safety Training

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1. Slide 1

   Forklift Operator Safety Training

   • This material was produced under grant number SH05059-SH8 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
2. Slide 2

   Objectives

   • Explain regulatory standards
   • Describe powered industrial truck/forklift
   • Explain safety procedures
   • Perform pre-operational checks
   • Operate forklift in a simulated driving situation
3. Slide 3

   Objectives (cont.)

   • Explain precautions for operating a forklift
   • Practice good housekeeping
   • Explain load capacities
   • Demonstrate proper handling, stacking, loading and unloading
4. Slide 4

   House Rules

   • No Cell Phones usage unless emergency!
   • If you hear “ stop” !! You must STOP!
   • No exceptions!
   • Respect everyone
   • No photography
   • No video
5. Slide 5

   Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

   • On December 29, 1970, President
   • Nixon signed the OSH Act
   • This Act created OSHA, the agency, which formally came into being on April 28, 1971
   • OSHA falls under the U.S.
   • department of Labor
6. Slide 6

   OSHA’s Mission

   • The mission of OSHA is to assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education and assistance.
   • OSHA does this by:
   • Developing job safety and health standards and enforcing them through worksite inspections
   • Providing training programs to increase knowledge about occupational safety and health
7. Slide 7

   Regulatory Standards

   • O ccupational S afety and H ealth A dministration (OSHA) 29
   • Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) 1910.178, Powered Industrial Trucks
   • ANSI/ITSDF B56.1-2009, Safety Standards for Low Lift and
   • High Lift Trucks
   • American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
   • Industrial Trucks Standards Development Foundation
   • (ITSDF)
8. Slide 8

   OSHA Makes A Difference

   • Prior to OSHA there were 13,800 workplace deaths per year
   • 4,405 workers were killed on the job in
   • 2013 (3.2 per 100,000 full-time equivalent workers)
   • Nearly 3.0 million serious workplace injuries and illnesses were reported by private industry employers in 2012
9. Slide 9

   OSHA Works

   • “In more than four decades, OSHA and our state partners, coupled with the efforts of employers, safety and health professionals, unions and advocates, have had a dramatic effect on workplace safety.”
10. Slide 10

    OSHA Works – Incidence Reports

11. Slide 11

    Powered Industrial Truck/Forklift

    • Self-propelled vehicles with 3 or 4 wheels designed to lift, transport, and position materials
    • Controlled by the steering of the back wheels. The front wheels are what are powered during operation
    • Fueled by LP (liquid propane), diesel fuel system, gasoline system, or battery
12. Slide 12

    Many Different Types

    • Sit-down and stand-up powered industrial trucks come in a variety of models ranging from small compact three wheel indoor unit to large diesel powered outdoor yard models.
    • Each model varies in lifting capacity, operating environment, and size.
13. Slide 13

    PIT/Forklift

    • Built on the lever principle
    • Front or drive wheels act as the fulcrum point
    • Counterweight counterbalances the weight of the load on the forks or clamps
14. Slide 14

    Different Types

    • Walk behinds are also considered “forklifts”
15. Slide 15

    Many Different Types Material Handling

    • A variety of material handling implements are used such as clamps, forks, or other attachments.
    • Each has several things in common that must be discussed from a safety and operational standpoint.
16. Slide 16

    Many Different Types Lifts

17. Slide 17

    Equipment Descriptions

    • The powered industrial truck is a vehicle that has many controls and parts.
    • The following items mentioned are common to most powered industrial trucks:
18. Slide 18

    Equipment Descriptions – Points On Forklift

19. Slide 19

    Equipment Controls

    • Accelerator, Foot Brake, and Clutch
20. Slide 20

    Directional Control Levers - Equipment Controls

21. Slide 21

    Equipment Controls - Fork, Mast and Fork/Clamps

    • One controls the up and down movement (forks)
    • The other controls the tilt or rotating movement (mast)
    • The other controls the side shift motion (forks/clamps)
22. Slide 22

    Equipment Controls - Gauges

    • Gauges
    • Mounted on the truck instrument panel.
    • They indicate the engine
    • temperature, oil pressure, generator charging rate, condition of directional control, etc.
23. Slide 23

    Safety

    • Only trained, certified and authorized drivers over the age of 18 will operate powered industrial trucks.
    • Know how to use all safety devices and functions.
    • Follow safety procedures at all times.
24. Slide 24

    Safety Mindset

25. Slide 25

    Safety – Buckle Up

    • Most models are operated from a sitting position.
    • Mount and dismount correctly.
    • It is important that the operator be properly seated and seat belt fastened before operating any forklift controls.
    • When your seat hits the seat, BUCKLE UP!
26. Slide 26

    Stand-up Models

    • Stand-up models are operated from a standing position.
    • Fasten personal restraint harness before operating any forklift controls.
27. Slide 27

    Safety - Examples

    • Keep arms, hands, legs, and feet in proper position.
    • Never place them between mast uprights or outside the running lines.
    • Stay within the boundaries of the overhead guard
28. Slide 28

    Safety Examples Cont.

    • Do not let anyone stand or move under raised forks
    • Do not carry any materials on the overhead guard
    • Do not hoist people using powered industrial truck forks.
29. Slide 29

    Safety - Signs

    • Obey all posted signs, including stop signs.
    • Operate the truck at a speed permitting it to stop in a safe manner.
    • Do not pass other trucks traveling in the same direction.
30. Slide 30

    Safety Discussion - Cont.

    • A pedestrian always has the right of way over a powered industrial truck.
    • A hand truck always has the right of way over a powered industrial truck.
    • A loaded powered industrial truck has the right of way over an empty powered industrial truck.
31. Slide 31

    Safety Discussion

    • Always use the aisle, if available
    • Never cut corners to avoid traffic
    • Start in low gear (if equipped)
    • Avoid fast starts and stops
    • Avoid running over obstacles
    • No smoking within 50 feet of the battery or LP changing station
32. Slide 32

    Safety Loaded

    • Drive with forks or clamps about 4 to 8 inches above the floor
    • If loaded, tilt the load all the way back
33. Slide 33

    Safety – Backing Up

    • Drive backwards when transporting a load that obstructs your vision
    • When approaching employees or visitors from behind…Give a few short blasts of the horn when approximately 20 feet away.
34. Slide 34

    Safety - Overhead

    • Watch overhead clearances (sprinkler heads, conduits, product conveyor, and doors.)
    • Always keep in mind the size of the powered industrial truck being operated.
35. Slide 35

    Safety – Rail Specifications

    • Always use an approved lifting platform
    • Must be securely attached to the forks and backrest
    • Harness must also be worn
    • Must be authorized by the supervisor
    • Specifications
    • 42” top rail, 21” center rail, 4” toe board, door opens
36. Slide 36

    Safety – Front End and Rear End

    • Always allow for “rear end swing” and “front end swing”
    • Larger lift trucks have more “swing”
37. Slide 37

    Safety – Rotation of Lift

38. Slide 38

    Safety - Speed

    • Reduce speed when turning.
    • Never turn on a slope or ramp.
    • Never turn when the load is elevated
39. Slide 39

    Safety – Vertical Stability

40. Slide 40

    Safety – Tip Over

    • In the event of a tip over
    • Do not jump
    • Stay in the seat with the seatbelt fastened
    • Grip the steering wheel tightly
    • Brace your feet and allow yourself to tip over with the truck
41. Slide 41

    Safety - Parking

    • If leaving the powered industrial truck even for a moment, park in a safe place out of aisles and away from fire escapes.
    • Lower the load (or forks) and set the parking brake.
    • Tilt the mast forward slightly and place fork tines flat on the floor.
    • Turn off the ignition.
42. Slide 42

    Safety – Lift Parking

43. Slide 43

    Safety Hazards

    • Leaving the powered industrial truck forks or any attachment high in the air while parked could cause serious injury.
44. Slide 44

    Safety - NEVER

    • NEVER operate a forklift in need of repair.
    • NEVER drive trucks up to anyone standing in front of a bench or other fixed object.
    • NEVER carry other individuals.
    • NEVER operate a forklift for any purpose other than what it was designed for.
45. Slide 45

    Safety – Do NOT

46. Slide 46

    Safety Hazard

47. Slide 47

    Safety - Discussion

48. Slide 48

    Unsafe

49. Slide 49

    tilted

50. Slide 50

    Safety - Statistics

    • 85 to 100 fatalities per year.
    • About 35,000 serious injuries
    • About 62,000 non-serious injuries
    • Injury and/or fatality occurs every three days
    • 900,000+ forklifts
    • 11 percent in some kind of accident
    • Useful truck life is about 8 years
    • 90 percent in some kind of accident
51. Slide 51

    Safety - Conplacency

    • Main types of accidents
    • Tip over’s
    • Crushed between forklift and a surface
    • Crushed between two forklifts
    • Struck or run over by forklift
    • Struck by falling material
    • Fall from platform on forks
    • 42% 25% 11% 10% 8% 4%
    • COMPLACENCY is the #1 CAUSE of Forklift accidents
52. Slide 52

    Safety - Where fatalities occur

    • Manufacturing facilities
    • 42%
    • Construction
    • 23.8%
    • Wholesale trade
    • 12.5%
    • Transportation
    • 11%
    • Retail trade
    • 9%
    • Mining
    • 1.2%
53. Slide 53

    Pre-Operational Check

    • Identify Key (Motor) Off inspection criteria. KEY-OFF
    • Identify Key (Motor) On inspection criteria. KEY-ON
    • It is important to perform a pre-operational check of the powered industrial truck before operating the vehicle. (Ref: 1910.178(q)(7))
54. Slide 54

    Pre-Operational Inspection

    • Any powered industrial truck not in safe operating condition is to be removed from service.
    • The pre-operational check/inspection shall be performed at least daily or prior to use.
    • The pre-operational check/inspection shall be performed after each shift.
55. Slide 55

    Operation

    • Only trained operators certified and authorized by the company who are 18 years and older are allowed to operate powered industrial trucks.
    • You are entrusted with the proper care and operation of an expensive and valuable piece of equipment.
56. Slide 56

    Operation - Versatility

    • Powered industrial trucks are quite versatile. Learning the capacity of the powered industrial truck is important.
57. Slide 57

    Operation - Similarities

    • Understand the similarities and differences between a standard size automobile and that of a powered industrial truck.
58. Slide 58

    Operation - Automobiles and lift trucks (forklifts) have many dissimilarities.

    • Lift Trucks (forklifts)
    • High center of gravity
    • Short, narrow
    • Automobiles
    • Low center of gravity
    • Long, wide wheel
59. Slide 59

    PIT Operation

    • Powered industrial trucks are specialized machines with unique operating characteristics designed to perform specific jobs.
    • Function and operation are not like an automobile.
    • Never assume you can operate a powered industrial truck in the same manner as you would an automobile.
    • Never assume one forklift operates just like another.
60. Slide 60

    Operation – Data Plate

    • Each powered industrial truck has a data plate.
    • This data plate will indicate the maximum weight the truck can handle without overloading it.
    • It will also indicate maximum loads, depending on the load center.
61. Slide 61

    Sample Data Plates

62. Slide 62

    Operation - Warning

    • 8380
    • 120PSI 100PSI
    • 131.5
    • 5500 5000 4400
    • 20 24 30
63. Slide 63

    Operation –Stability Triangle

    • The powered industrial truck is a precision piece of equipment set up on a fulcrum and lever balance.
    • Operate the vehicle inside its stability (operating) triangle.
    • STABILITY TRIANGLE
64. Slide 64

    Center of Gravity

    • Vehicle Center of
    • Gravity
    • (Unloaded)
    • Center of Gravity of Vehicle and Maximum Load (Theoretical)
65. Slide 65

    Operation – Balanced Load

    • Vehicle Center of
    • Gravity
    • (loaded)
    • Load
    • Center
66. Slide 66

    Operation – Unbalanced Load

    • Vehicle Center of
    • Gravity
    • (loaded)
    • Load
    • Center
67. Slide 67

    Operation - Overload

    • The heaviest point is to the rear of the vehicle closest to the counterweight on the steer axle.
    • As you add weight on the forks or the front of the vehicle, the balance point or weight moves forward toward the drive axle.
    • Never go beyond the operating parameters of the forklift.
    • Overloading, traveling with the load too high, taking corners too fast and too sharp will cause the operator to go beyond these operating parameters.
68. Slide 68

    Operation – Cover Controls

    • Familiarize yourself with the levers that control the forks or clamps so you know exactly what lever controls each movement.
69. Slide 69

    Operation - Mounting

    • Mount the truck using 3 points of contact and fasten the seat belt.
    • Place the transmission lever in neutral
70. Slide 70

    Operation - Battery

    • Engage the starter by turning the ignition switch to the start position.
    • DO NOT engage the starter for more than 30 seconds.
    • DO NOT RUN THE BATTERY DOWN
    • Check that all instruments on the control panel are operating.
    • DO NOT idle the engine unnecessarily.
    • Raise the forks, clamps, or other attachments off the floor about 4 to 8 inches.
71. Slide 71

    Handling and Stacking Procedures – 1 of 12

    • Picking Up the Load
    • All powered industrial trucks have a rating capacity data plate.
    • If in doubt about the load’s weight, check with the supervisor.
72. Slide 72

    Handling and Stacking Procedures 2 of 12

    • Approach the load slowly and straight on with the forks parallel to the floor.
    • Make sure the forks are low enough to slide under the load.
73. Slide 73

    Handling and Stacking Procedures – 3 of 12

    • Drive forward until the load touches against the backrest.
    • Adjust the forks sideways on the fork bar to center the load.
    • When forks are not centered under the load, the load may slide off the forks and become damaged.
74. Slide 74

    Handling and Stacking Procedures 4 of 12

    • Lift the load slightly.
    • Tilt the mast back.
    • Allow enough backward tilt to stabilize the load
    • Make sure the load is square against the carriage and load backrest.
75. Slide 75

    Handling and Stacking Procedures 5 of 12

    • Exercise extreme care when tilting the mast/load forward or backward.
    • Watch the load closely.
    • Slowly back away from the stack.
    • Lower it to traveling position.
76. Slide 76

    Handling and Stacking Procedures 6 of 12

    • Driving with the load
    • Always use the aisle, if available.
    • Never cut corners to avoid traffic.
    • Start in low gear (if equipped).
    • Avoid fast starts and stops.
    • Avoid running over obstacles.
77. Slide 77

    Handling and Stacking Procedures 7 of 12

    • Avoid railroad crossings.
    • Approach [uneven] roadways and railroad crossings at an angle and hold steering wheel tightly.
    • When driving with a load that blocks vision, drive backward.
    • NEVER DRIVE WITH VISION
    • BLOCKED!
78. Slide 78

    Handling and Stacking Procedures 8 of 12

    • Watch overhead obstructions closely and make sure you have clearance before proceeding.
    • Watch out for weak floors.
    • Do not drive on any floor/ground that cannot support forklift and the load.
79. Slide 79

    Handling and Stacking Procedures 9 0f 12

    • Never drive onto an elevator whose listed capacity cannot support the combined weight of forklift and its load.
80. Slide 80

    Handling and Stacking Procedures 10 of 12

    • Lowering and Unloading a Load
    • Never stop lowering action suddenly.
    • Do not lift or lower a load while traveling.
    • Causes loss of stability
    • Set loads down slowly in desired position.
    • Never butt or ram loads.
    • If a load is incorrectly placed, correctly maneuver it.
81. Slide 81

    Handling and Stacking Procedures 11 of 12

    • Stacking
    • Approach to within a foot or so of the stack or tier.
    • Raise the load slowly.
    • Tilt the mast slightly forward until it is vertical.
    • Squarely position load over the stack.
    • Back truck away slowly.
82. Slide 82

    Handling and Stacking Procedures 12 of 12

    • Obey stacking instructions regarding heights.
    • Never allow workers or visitors to stand nearby when stacking.
    • Never allow anyone to stand under or walk under elevated loads.
    • Carefully lower the forks.
    • Extreme care must be taken.
    • The heavier the load and the higher it is raised, the truck's center of gravity (COG) reduces stability.
83. Slide 83

    Driving Skills

84. Slide 84

    Driving Familiarization: Steps 1 -3

    • Step 1
    • Pre-operational check.
    • Step 2
    • Familiarize yourself with the controls and practice with the forklift while it’s stationary.
    • Step 3
    • Make sure the forks are set to the proper width to carry what you are about to lift.
85. Slide 85

    Driving Familiarization: Steps 4 - 7

    • Step 4
    • Always yield to people or vehicles in the road during practice.
    • Step 5
    • Start the forklift using the key. Move it through basic operations.
    • Step 6
    • Practice driving the forklift in an open area.
    • Practice handling and stacking procedures, and loading and unloading pallet(s)
    • Step 7
    • Park the forklift when you are finished.
86. Slide 86

    Summary

    • Regulatory standards
    • Describe powered industrial truck/forklift
    • Safety procedures
    • Pre-operational checks
    • Operate forklift in a simulated driving situation
    • Precautions for operating a forklift
    • Load capacities
    • Demonstrate proper handling, stacking, loading and unloading