{"id":1205,"date":"2016-12-06T08:59:19","date_gmt":"2016-12-06T16:59:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/?p=1205"},"modified":"2024-03-01T12:02:08","modified_gmt":"2024-03-01T20:02:08","slug":"dont-become-another-osha-forklift-statistic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/dont-become-another-osha-forklift-statistic\/","title":{"rendered":"Don\u2019t Become Another OSHA Forklift Statistic"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><em>Why workplace forklift accidents are no laughing matter<\/em><\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_1230\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1230\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1230 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/bigstock-Forklift-truck-72787285-1-e1480549366953-300x196.jpg\" alt=\"unsafe forklift truck illustration\" width=\"300\" height=\"196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/bigstock-Forklift-truck-72787285-1-e1480549366953-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/bigstock-Forklift-truck-72787285-1-e1480549366953-768x501.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/bigstock-Forklift-truck-72787285-1-e1480549366953.jpg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-1230\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Forklift operators not following safety rules is a serious issue<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p>You know an occurrence is common when it gets its own top-10 highlight reel. This YouTube video, \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/KTnGZ37sZqM\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Top 10 Forklift Accidents<\/a>,\u201d shows that forklift safety is something worth thinking about.<\/p>\n<p>And while nearly 6 million people may have found those forklift accidents hilarious, chances are you wouldn\u2019t be laughing if they happened in <em>your<\/em> workplace.<\/p>\n<p>There were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osha.gov\/pls\/oshaweb\/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&amp;p_id=13456\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">an average of 107 forklift accident deaths annually<\/a> between 1981 and 1990 \u2014 not to mention more than 33,000 serious injuries and over 61,000 minor injuries. In fact, forklift accidents have resulted in approximately 85 deaths, over 34,000 serious injuries, and more than 61,000 minor injuries <em>every year since<\/em> 1981.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Top 10 Forklift Accidents !\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/KTnGZ37sZqM?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>How do forklift accidents happen?<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-thumbnail wp-image-1229 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/bigstock-Forklift-Accident-In-Storehous-70169254-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"forklift accident in warehouse\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Plenty of things can cause forklift accidents in the workplace. Here are a few of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccohs.ca\/oshanswers\/safety_haz\/forklift\/accident.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">most common reasons people get hurt while using forklifts<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"margin\">\n<li><strong>Lack of training<\/strong> \u2014 It\u2019s important that every employee who uses a forklift for any reason is trained on how to properly and safely operate one. In fact, it\u2019s an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osha.gov\/pls\/oshaweb\/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&amp;p_id=9828#1910.178(l)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Operational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirement<\/a>! It\u2019s also a good idea to supervise\u00a0new forklift operators while they get used to the machinery.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Poor equipment upkeep <\/strong>\u2014 Like all other motorized vehicles, forklifts need regular maintenance and upkeep to function safely and efficiently. It\u2019s also important to prevent your machinery from doing damage to your facility or making your facility less safe.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Workplace design flaws<\/strong> \u2014 If your facility isn\u2019t designed for forklift use, you could run into issues like uneven ground, slick surfaces, steep grades, or curbs and ledges that get in the way.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Inappropriate use <\/strong>\u2014 Driving too quickly, loading a forklift incorrectly, and even run-of-the-mill horseplay can all put forklift operators at risk of injury or death.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How can you prevent forklift accidents?<\/h2>\n<p>The good news is you can easily prevent all those reasons for forklift accidents with a few cautionary steps!<\/p>\n<ul class=\"margin\">\n<li><strong>Ensure you train employees. <\/strong>Operators should know that if a forklift starts to tip over, for instance, they should stay inside and brace themselves\u00a0\u2014\u00a0rather than try to jump out. Being trained on forklift safety can literally make the difference between life and death.<\/li>\n<li>\n<div id=\"attachment_1244\" style=\"width: 259px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/abzorbforkliftmat.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1244\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-1244 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/fork-lift-absorbent-mats-249x300.jpg\" alt=\"shop forklift absorbent mats\" width=\"249\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/fork-lift-absorbent-mats-249x300.jpg 249w, https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/fork-lift-absorbent-mats.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 249px) 100vw, 249px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-1244\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Forklift mats absorb leaks and prevent slip and falls<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Keep machinery\u00a0\u2014 and the area where it\u2019s in use\u00a0\u2014 in good condition.<\/strong> You should service forklifts regularly, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osha.gov\/SLTC\/etools\/pit\/operations\/maneuvering.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">OSHA requires that drivers inspect forklifts<\/a> once per shift. Forklifts can sometimes leak fluids, so <a href=\"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/abzorbforkliftmat.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">try a forklift mat<\/a> to keep a handle on leaks <em>and<\/em> prevent slips, trips, and falls.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Make your workplace forklift-friendly. <\/strong>If a driver hits a curb or corner with her or his forklift, that could mean damage to the forklift, facility, driver, other workers \u2014 or all four! Avoid damage with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/industrial-safety-products\/column-protectors-column-guards.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">column protectors<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/industrial-safety-products\/corner-protectors-corner-guards.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">corner protectors<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/industrial-safety-products\/wall-protectors-wall-protection.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">wall protectors<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Heavy machinery is no joke. <\/strong>People might find YouTube videos funny, but the dangers forklifts can pose in the workplace are no laughing matter. Anyone operating a forklift should take her or his safety and the safety of those around her or him seriously.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you want to become a YouTube sensation, get a funny cat. Your five minutes of fame aren\u2019t worth ending up a statistic in a potentially fatal forklift accident.<\/p>\n<p><em>Do you have the safety products you need to protect your workers and your facility from potential forklift dangers? To find out, contact Angie Meza at <a href=\"mailto:angie@absorbentsonline.com\">angie@absorbentsonline.com<\/a> or <a class=\"phone\" href=\"tel:18008699633\">(800) 869-9633<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why workplace forklift accidents are no laughing matter You know an occurrence is common when it gets its own top-10 highlight reel. This YouTube video, \u201cTop 10 Forklift Accidents,\u201d shows that forklift safety is something worth thinking about. And while nearly 6 million people may have found those forklift accidents hilarious, chances are you wouldn\u2019t [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"Don\u2019t Become Another OSHA Forklift Statistic | Avoiding Forklift Accidents at Work","_seopress_titles_desc":"Forklift accidents in the workplace are an all too common event, unfortunately. Learn more about forklift accidents \u2014 and how to avoid them.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[45,73,256],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1205"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1205"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1205\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14315,"href":"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1205\/revisions\/14315"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.absorbentsonline.com\/spill-containment-blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}