Michigan Worker Safety Forklift

June 5th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

A recent article by a safety adviser examines some of the dangers of the incorrect operation of a forklift. The standards of the Occupation Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, require regular evaluation and train of workers.

There are about 1.5 millions of forklifts operators in the United States, according to the Michigan OSHA office. Forklifts are very common in some industries, like manufacturing. The accidents are frequent, with injured and death people every year.

OSHA requires that every operator that was involved in an accident or is observe operating in an unsafe manner, he or she must go through retraining another time.

Powered Industrial Trucks, or PITs, is another form to call the forklifts. Fork trucks, or forklift trucks, are others.

The article analyzes the importance of training the forklift workers as a way to minimize serious hurts and fatalities. The forklifts are not difficult to use, but require a safety operation to avoid accidents. Any training program must be base in some factors, like operator’s verified skill, hazards in the workplace, operator’s prior knowledge, and the type of PIT to operate.

Improper load balance is one of the most common causes of instability of the forklifts. Some people believe that adding more weight to the rear of the forklift is a way to balance the load, and increase stability, but that is wrong. The forklift center of gravity is move to the back part and the equipment become more unstable. When the operator moves load, he or she must do it slowly. If he or she feels the steering is light that means the forklift is unbalanced and it became difficult to operate.

To increase their functionalities, the forklifts are fitted with different accessories. It could be a good way to adapt forklifts to the requirements of the industry but it is important to know that any accessory attached to the truck will change it safety rating.

No Comments >> Posted in Compliance Issues,Employer Requirements,Labor Law Regulations,Michigan