Specific OSHA requirements have to be met in order to use any kind of forklift. A lot of the companies utilizing lift trucks would offer basic training to the other office and sales employees in combination with visitors and other non operators who might venture into the distribution areas. Though OSHA doesn't particularly deal with lift truck pedestrian training, the OSHA General Duty Clause dictates that employers must take measures so as to protect employees from certain dangers, such as pedestrians exposed to moving lift trucks.
Pedestrian safety is a huge issue that has to be addressed and not overlooked. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health or NIOSH; around 20% of all forklift mishaps include a pedestrian being struck by a forklift. This statistic means roughly 19,000 people on a yearly basis.
Then again briefly or frequently individuals are around industrial trucks during their work day, there are some basic steps which must be taken in order to keep everyone safe. Among the main considerations is that lift truck pedestrian accidents usually happen in situations where the pedestrian is not aware of safety measures. Issues also occur more frequently when the pedestrian has become used to frequent interaction with forklifts and ends up complacent.
So as to avoid putting yourself at potential risk of being struck by a lift truck, there are some common situations to look out for. One of the most common problems is when pedestrians did not see the lift truck. Many operations have different degrees of blind corners or intersections that pedestrians have to know. At times pedestrians do not hear the forklift. Be very careful of the various kinds of power sources. For example, electric trucks may be a lot quieter than internal combustion engines that are really loud.
The other major issues are when pedestrians come in too near the equipment. Common sense tells us that in order for a pedestrian to be injured by a lift truck, the pedestrian has to be in close enough proximity to be struck. For a forklift that is working, a four foot safety zone is recommended in order to make a safe perimeter for everyone. This helps to deal with risks like for example the model driving accidentally over the foot of a pedestrian.
Implementing and following strict safety protocol helps to make sure that the workplace safety remains paramount and stays top notch.