Safety Toolbox Topic: Examples of Forklift Near Misses
Everyone loves the concept of near miss tracking, but frequently we get asked for forklift near miss examples. Because it’s more of a new concept, and SIERA.AI is the only company out there right now that offers near miss tracking, facility managers and safety managers want to make sure that the understanding is the same. Let’s first talk a little bit about forklift near misses and then we’ll give some examples.
What is Forklift Near Miss Examples?
Forklift near miss examples is a way of giving a detailed description for a concept that is new in the industrial marketplace that allows you to fully understand how something works. Near misses are defined as almost having an accident, nearly hitting something, or that was a close call. Being able to track near misses can tell a story you didn’t even know existed.
Benefits of Tracking Near Misses
Tracking the number of near misses is where we begin. The Telemetry Dashboard, which is tied to both the S2 Digital Inspection and the S3 PDS – Pedestrian Detection System, calculates the near misses for each of the forklifts or mobile equipment in the facility, meaning it tracks them individually. This gives you the insights as to which forklift driver had the greatest number of near misses. Now add on where the near misses occurred, and you have something special.
Where? By understanding where a near miss occurs is valuable information. Near misses is like the precursor to an actual accident. It is identifying future accidents. This is the safety manager’s opportunity to evaluate those areas and make changes in order to reduce the chance for a forklift accident.
Who? Now that you know there where, take a look at all the driver’s who had a near miss in the area(s). Was it one driver, five drivers? As the safety or facility manager, you can take action by giving them focused training. Certainly, let them know that you’ve identified the issue and taken corrective action. The more they know and can understand the situation, they can help identify and report unsafe areas.
Forklift Near Miss Frequently Reported Examples
Example 1: At the end of an aisle, there were two workers standing in between two aisles discussing a load that just came in. The forklift was performing their safety measures correctly by slowing down and stopping at the end of the aisle. When the driver started to make his turn, the workers started to move in the direction of the forklift’s path. The forklift driver slammed on his brakes.
Example 2: A worker is stacking product underneath a racking system. At the same time, a forklift was driving down the aisle and saw no obstructions in the driver’s path. The worker came out from underneath the racking system just as the forklift driver was getting close. They both saw each other and the driver slammed on his brakes.
Example 3: The forklift driver was turning a corner at the end of an aisle and thought he had enough space to make the turn. The driver jerked the forklift as the driver was unsure if he/she was going to hit the product that was stacked up against the wall. Someone had put it there in preparation for staging it for a customer.
Example 4: There was a spill in one of the aisles and the workers cleaned it up. Unfortunately, there were some missed spots where the oily substance remained. The forklift driver felt a skidding, or a movement that shouldn’t happen on a forklift…almost like hydroplaning for a second. The forklift driver hit his brakes unsure if he was going to hit the racking system or even drop the load the driver was carrying.
Summary
As this forklift near miss examples occur each day within the facility, with or without your knowledge, its beneficial to know where they occur. For each of these examples, there’s an action that can be taken to ensure safety for all. That’s the power of knowing forklift near misses.
Get a trial of an S2 or and S3 and start tracking your near misses. Not only will you know the near misses, but also low, medium and high impacts as you define them. It’s one of the best ways to take control of safety in your facility and make a positive impact. Contact us at sales@siera.ai.
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