Access Control on Your Forklift Will Save a Life…Even a Child’s

Access control a forklift is vital to your operators, workers, visitors in the facility and I hate to say…children. We normally don’t think of children getting killed or injured by a forklift truck, but unfortunately, it happens more frequently than you know. We’ll go through 3 forklift accidents that included a child or a young teenager that happened in just the past two years. Then we’ll take a look at some of the features SIERA.AI has that can stop those unauthorized to access control a forklift. Let’s get started.

What is Access Control on a Forklift?

Access control a forklift is electronically managing access to a machine that requires training and certification to operate. If those that are not trained and certified, in other words, unauthorized, to operate the forklift or machine, the individual will be denied access and the machine will not start. Some solutions like SIERA.AI’s forklift safety system will also maintain electronic record of who accessed the forklift and who attempted to access the forklift. This will allow the owner or manager of the forklift or machine to take action when you know who attempted to access the forklift without training or permission.

Access Control a Forklift for Children

Who wants to talk about children getting hurt by a forklift? It’s sad, tragic and unacceptable for such a young life to be taken. Kids will want to be kids regardless of age and if something looks fun, like a forklift can be very tempting, then they will give it a try. Here are a few stories in the past two years where children’s lives came to a tragic end.

December 22, 2021 – 5 year old was crushed and killed as children were playing with a forklift in an Alabama warehouse. One child fell off the forklift and was crushed.

July 2022 – An 8 year old child was killed under the wheels of a reversing forklift. They were not sure how it occurred. Did the child fall or did the child run toward the forklift. Either way, the child is no longer with us.

February 2022 – A 15 year old boy was killed when him and his friends decided to go joyriding on a forklift. While doing donuts, the forklift overturned and crushed the teenager to his death.

Bring in the New Year with Safety

Let’s talk about how we can bring safety to everyone…workers, operators, visitors and of course, children. Technology has come a long way and our industrial facilities are no different. Technology can be applied to the forklift in order to keep unauthorized persons from moving the machine. Access control a forklift is part of the SIERA.AI forklift safety system solution by the following ways:

• Authorized operators will scan their badge for verification of name and document the day and time for their use of the lift truck
• Authorization is also made on their certificate. Are they in compliance or has their certificate expired. If it is expired, the forklift will not start and a notification is sent to management of their continued expiration. Continued? What does that mean? It means that there are two notifications sent: 30 days prior and one week prior to expiration.
• Authorization will last for 90 seconds. If the operator doesn’t continue with the next step, which is the forklift inspection, the forklift will shut down.
• If the operator continues with the forklift inspection, but fails, the forklift will not move. If the forklift is inspected and passes inspection, then the operator can begin his day. However…

If the forklift driver attempts to move the forklift without securing the seatbelt, the forklift will not move forward.

How to Stay Safe

These are critical safeguards that can be put in place at your facility to ensure everyone stays safe. Access control a forklift is the best way to make that happen. Contact us today at sales@siera.ai to get started. Start of the New Year with safety in the forefront so you don’t become one of these news stories reported today.