If you have a forklift on your premises, you will need to consider the following points. If you truly answer any of them with “no”, you will want to consider the issue for the safety of your drivers and anyone entering the zone of the forklift travel.
1) Forklift operating area separated from pedestrians
2) Pedestrian access to forklift work areas restricted by barriers
3) Pedestrian walkways clearly marked and provided
4) Forklift in operation signs
5) Mirrors for drivers and pedestrians provided at all blind spots
6) Changes to workplace daily schedule communicated to ALL affected employees for forklift use
7) Forklift and tires suitable for use on all operating surfaces at this workplace
Seatbelt fitted to the forklift and used
9) Seat is in good shape
10) Forklift is on a regular maintenance schedule
11) Forklift is inspected and is certified each year
12) Forklift an appropriate size for the tasks
13) Forklift has a readable load chart
14) Operators understand the load chart
15) Load chart indicate the safe capacity for different attachments and is rated for each
16) Forklift fitted with correctly operating warning devices (horn works, turn signal and brake and reverse lights work, reversing beeper)
17) Forklift has a correctly operating speed control device fitted
18) Overhead cage is fitted on the forklift
19) Forklift operators hold an appropriate certificate for operation
20) Uncertified forklift operators are directly supervised in sight of an authorized person
21) Forklift operators observe speed limits and warning signs
22) Forklift operators receive appropriate training and instruction on all models of forklifts in operation and on workplace hazards and safe work procedures
23) Forklift operators understand the requirement to report any equipment damage and forklift incidents
24) Use a pre-test checklist at the beginning of each shift
If you have answered “yes” to these points, congratulations on a fine job on forklift safety. If you did answer “no” to a few, just make adjustments and introduce the policies to your employees and make sure if you do have visitors on the floor, to make sure everyone knows of the safety policies. Make everyone safe.
Under normal operating conditions, forks should be inspected daily and given a thorough inspection every six months. Operators should make visual inspection of forks during the pre-start-up check before their work begins. The check will give special attention to permanent distortions and cracks. At six months a thorough inspection of forks should be done. This inspection should be done by a trained individual, to check for any cracks, distortion, and excessive wear on the forks. Forks may need inspections more often, depending on the use of the equipment.
The trained inspector at six months will check the fork blades for wear. Forks are constantly subjected to abrasion by concrete floors, steel shelving, etc. This abrasion can reduce the thickness of a fork until it cannot lift loads up to the designed capacity. The inspector will have a gauge to check for thickness.
The inspector will also check for distortion. Forks can be bent out of shape. Depending on distortion, some forks can be straightened. Check for cracks in heel and hanger. Cracks may appear on forks where attachments are welded on or in the inside radius of the bend area. Periodic inspection using a magnetic particle or dye penetrate test can detect cracks. Contact your forklift supplier or the manufacturer for additional information.
Do not repair your own forks. No one but the fork manufacturer should undertake the repair of forks. Also, do not modify forks without consulting with your forklift supplier. The in-house repair or modification can drastically reduce the strength of the forks.
If replacement is needed, replace with good quality forks. When ordering forks, make sure you are getting high quality forks that will do your lifting jobs safely. Insist on forged forks or ones with an upset heel. In purchasing new forks use the proper forks. Custom-designed forks are designed to handle specific materials such as unusual lifting conditions, spark-free areas, high heat furnace areas, and special object lifting. The best place for information is the company that services or inspects the forklift or even the original manufacturer.
Forks are like forklifts; do not overload the forks. Operators should be aware of the capacity of the forklift and the capacity of the forks. Overloading may bend and weaken forks. Do not exceed the recommended load limit of your lift truck. Each lift truck has a maximum load limit. The load limit is shown on the data plate of the lift truck. This plate should also reflect the attachments that are used on the truck. The original chart is based on the standard forks supplied with the forklift. An eight hundred pound clamp attachment will change the lifting ability of the forklift from standard forks.
Position the load according to the recommended load center on the chart. The load limit of the lift truck decreases as the load center is raised. Do not add extra weight to counterbalance of the forklift. If the back tires come off the ground while lifting a load, the forklift is too small for that particular load. While moving loads, keep loads close to the front wheels to keep lift truck stable.
Forks are important pieces of equipment and should be visually inspected daily. The check should be part of the pre-start-up check list; the forks should be thorough inspected at least every six months. Depending on the tasks required, the thorough inspection of the forks might need to be scheduled earlier.
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