labor lawAdivision of labor law center

An article in a recent edition of a safety magazine sanctioned by the state addresses concerns the Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has over the widespread use of forklifts on industrial job sites.

The Maryland worker safety office, OSHA, cites concerns for the dangerous situations that occur when the latest federal and state standards for forklift operation are not followed.  Forklifts are one of the most commonly used pieces of machinery used on the job and are the source of most serious injuries sustained by workers.  Tragically, the improper operation of forklifts is the main cause of deaths in industrial settings, too.

Forklifts are known by other names, most often referred to as Powered Industrial Trucks (PITs) and fork trucks.  They are manufactured in a number of different styles and sizes but they all perform the same basic operation and safety is a must when operating them.

Perhaps the key to safely operating a forklift is mindfulness of the machine’s center of gravity.  Loading the machine in a manner where the weight of the load is off center, too far forward, or otherwise unbalanced will diminish the stability of the forklift and its load.  This unbalanced load may lead to damage of the machine and the load and is likely to jeopardize the safety of the operator, too.

The proper loading of the forklift is not only a safety issue that affects the operator, however.  Bystanders can be seriously hurt if the forklift tips over or drops its load in the direction of anyone in the immediate vicinity.

Each forklift, or PIT, comes with the maximum load weight clearly indicated on the forklift’s data plate.  There may be circumstances when a forklift needs to be modified or retrofitted to include additional parts or attachments.

Any modifications whatsoever made to the machinery must be approved in advance and clearly documented before the modifications can legally be made.  The details of these modifications, approved in writing, must be affixed to the equipment’s data plate before operating the machinery with these modifications. 

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