August 15, 2017
20 Forklift Safety Tips That Could Save a Life (Free Infographic)
Let’s talk about the workhorse of the warehouse: the forklift. It’s a powerhouse, but it’s also one of the biggest safety risks you have. The stats are terrifying: OSHA reports roughly 85 forklift fatalities and 34,900 serious injuries each year. That’s not just a number; it’s a person, a family, a team.
But here’s the good news: almost all of these are preventable. It all comes down to solid training and following key forklift safety tips. This isn’t just about the operator; it’s about the pedestrians, the managers, and the entire warehouse culture.
Because we’re so passionate about this, we took our original 20 Important Safety Tips for Forklifts post and created this awesome infographic. Use it, share it, hang it on the wall. Let’s get those numbers to zero.
Why These 20 Tips Matter More Than Ever
In a busy warehouse, it’s so easy to get complacent. We see a forklift 100 times a day, and it just becomes… part of the background. That’s when accidents happen. These forklift safety tips aren’t just “rules.” They are a checklist for survival.
- For Operators: Tips like #5 (checking your equipment) and #14 (managing your load) are your personal defense against a catastrophic tip-over.
- For Pedestrians: Tips like #17 (staying visible) and #18 (knowing the swing) are what keep you from getting crushed in a blind spot.
- For Managers: Your job is to enforce all 20 of these, especially #1 (qualified operators) and #2 (proper PPE).
Don’t let your warehouse become a statistic. A few seconds of caution can prevent a lifetime of regret.
Common Questions About Forklift Safety
What is the “golden rule” of forklift safety?
The golden rule is to keep the load low and tilted back while traveling. This maintains the forklift’s center of gravity and is the single best way to prevent tip-overs. Also, never allow anyone to walk under a raised load.
How often do forklift operators need to be recertified?
OSHA requires forklift operators to be re-evaluated (which may include retraining) at least once every three years. However, retraining is also required immediately if the operator is in an accident, is seen driving unsafely, or is assigned to a different type of truck.
What is the most common forklift accident?
The most common fatal* accidents are forklift tip-overs, which account for 42% of forklift-related deaths. The most common *injuries often involve pedestrians being struck by a forklift, or workers falling from elevated forks (which should never be used to lift people without a proper platform!).
Feel free to share with others so that we can reduce the number of deaths and injuries associated with forklifts. For other free resources regarding forklift safety, click the links below:
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