How Can the Forklift Operator Know What’s Going On Around the Forklift when Eyes are on the Job

Forklift operator visibility is one of the most important aspects to forklift safety. How confident are you that your forklift operators can see everything that they need to? Can they see clearly around corners? Are works clearly seen even if they are bending down behind boxes? Or if the worker is putting away product and is literally inside of the shelving? But let’s not forget the customers product. Is it sitting out in the open? Right on the end of an aisle? Did any of these questions concern you? Let’s discuss how forklift operator visibility can be improved.

What is Forklift Operator Visibility?

Forklift operator visibility is the amount of unobstructed view the operator has in front and on the sides of the lift truck. Forklift visibility is critical to ensure the safety of the forklift operator, equipment, infrastructure and others around the forklift. However, the forklift operator visibility is just for the person on the forklift and what can be seen at the time. But there are ‘what if’s’.

What If…

What ifs are common problems or challenges that may arise at a particular time and day. For forklift operators, these can include…What If…

• A person unexpectedly appears from behind a corner or boxes
• Product falls from the steel shelving system
• Another piece of equipment was turning the corner the same time as you

Although these are three different examples, these what ifs happen all the time. With your own experiences, you can add probably fifty more.

Forklift Safety System

In order to increase the forklift operator visibility, using a forklift safety system can do just that. Instead of giving the forklift operator eyes in the back of their head, the forklift safety system will constantly monitor scanning every 60ms. What’s important is what its doing and identifying.

When it scans, it draws in raw data. That data gets interpreted as either nothing is going on, there’s a person there or a product. That’s because the AI technology is using its learned intelligence and notifying the forklift operator when a person or object is within its path. When it does, it gives the forklift operator audio and visual warnings that something has entered the warning zone, or the defined distance set by your company that this is an unsafe zone or place to be.

The forklift operator will get a symbol of a human or a symbol of a box which represented a product or facility infrastructure. These are critical signs to the forklift operator. For instance, if the person is bending over into the shelving system, the forklift safety system will identify a person (not the object) is within its defined path. The operator may actor react differently if its an object. The forklift operator may use its forks to move the product and get it out of the path. If a person is behind it, now there is a problem. This would be simply avoided with the proper warning.

Summary

Forklift operator visibility is key to keeping safety as a priority. By allowing the forklift operator help with a forklift safety system will ensure the identification of a person or object and allow the forklift operator to get his job done without others getting hurt or product damaged. This is the best way to increase visibility and ensure long-term safety.

Contact us today at sales@siera.ai or call us at (512) 817 0702.