Warehouse workers face a lot of daily challenges that can sometimes slow down operations, reduce productivity, and increase the risk of injury. Lacking proper forklift safety training shouldn’t be one of them. Companies are responsible for the safety and well-being of their employees while on the job. That means investing in comprehensive forklift certification training in Vaughan and other parts of the GTA.
Follow these forklift safety tips and precautions in the workplace if you’re committed to optimizing and improving your warehouse operations and protecting your employees.
Inspect Your Forklift before Each Use
The importance of routine and in some cases, daily, forklift inspections can’t be underestimated. Before operating a forklift, operators should perform complete safety checks to guarantee that all parts are in perfect working condition. This will help reduce the risk of an injury or malfunction caused by an oversight and increases overall workplace safety standards and productivity. Forklifts that require servicing should be put out of commission until they’re repaired or the parts in question are repaired.
Move at the Appropriate Speed
While operating a forklift, it’s important to be completely aware of all of your surroundings at all times and move slowly to avoid causing any major accidents, injuries, or damages. Not only does moving the forklift slowly minimize damages if there are any, but it also gives the operator more time to react to potential hazards and correct the trajectory of the movement before something goes wrong.
Handle Each Load with Care
Of course, this goes without saying. But it’s crucial that each load is placed with care and tightly secured in place to prevent it from falling off of the forks at the front of the machine. It’s also important to know exactly how to place each load to prevent parts of the pallet or packaging from getting caught in the mast as it moves up and down.
Maintain Safe Operating Distances
Most warehouses move at a fairly fast pace like a well-oiled machine. Maintaining efficiency is definitely crucial for meeting tight deadlines and delivery schedules. With that said, however, forklift operators also need to consistently maintain safe operating distances from their coworkers, other material handling equipment, and pallet racking systems to prevent workplace casualties. Spotters are employees who walk slowly in front of forklifts wielding two large red flags to direct the operators and remove any obstacles that may be in their way.
Get Forklift Certification Training in Vaughan
All forklift operators must be fully certified in compliance with Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) workplace standards and regulations. According to OHSA data, approximately 35,000 employees that operate forklifts or work in an environment that uses them are injured annually. The majority of these accidents are the result of improper or total lack of training and are completely preventable. To reduce the risk of forklift accidents and their subsequent serious or fatal injuries, warehouse managers must guarantee that their employees are fully licensed in compliance with OHSA standards and evaluate their performance at least once a year to correct errors or update training as needed.
When it comes to forklift safety measures that should be followed in every warehouse, this list is just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re looking to purchase or rent indoor forklifts in Concord and Maple or need forklift services near Toronto, then you can trust the experts at NovaLift Equipment Inc. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff is more than happy to answer your questions and we even offer forklift certification training in Vaughan! Contact us today to learn more!
