15 Year Old Dies Due to Forklift Overturns

Forklift overturns as a couple of teenage boys played on a forklift in the parking lot in Nashville, TN. Reported on February 21, 2022 on Fox 5 in Nashville, TN two boys were at an equipment rental facility and decided to have a bit of fun on the forklift. The boys were doing ‘donuts’ in the parking lot when the forklift got out of control and the forklift overturns onto one of the boys killing him.

What Occurs When a Forklift Overturns?

Forklift overturns are the leading causes of forklift fatalities according to OSHA. A forklift never tips over on its own, there is always a reason. Here are the top 4 reasons why a forklift overturns:

1. Uneven surface and/or a wet surface
2. Turning and/or stopping too quickly
3. Unbalanced load on the forks or loading the forks with too heavy a load
4. Driving the forklift on an incline

You already know these reasons, you tell and train your forklift operators all the time. However, as this story shows, it’s not always about the forklift operators. Forklift overturns can happen to unauthorized workers getting onto the forklift, or kids coming onto the property after hours. These are unforeseen issues that are commonly occurring.

Forklift Access Control

Forklift access control which is automatically a part of the S3 Pedestrian Detection System can and will fix this deadly problem. If someone other than the authorized individual who is to be driving the forklift, tries to start a forklift, it will not go. It will not start.

If the unauthorized worker or a kid after hours tries to have a bit of fun on the forklift, the forklift will not move. They will need their authorized badge or the employee PIN number to begin. But it’s still not that easy.

Step 1: An employee badge with the proper credentials will need to scan the badge or manually enter in a PIN number

Step 2: Pass the electronic forklift inspection checklist

Once these two steps are completed, then the forklift will start. Until then, that’s a lot of work for a kid or a worker to do to get some forklift fun.

Hold On…There’s More

There are times when the maintenance manager, warehouse manager or the safety manager knows that a particular forklift needs to be out of circulation. Even if a forklift driver knows it, sometimes its more convenient to use that forklift as it’s close by. Or maybe the driver simply doesn’t know.

What can the manager do to ensure the forklift doesn’t go into production? Shut the forklift down from…anywhere. Anywhere?

Can you turn it off if you’re not on site? Yup.
Another state? Yup.

Across the pond? Yup. Anywhere.

Control the Forklift from the Dashboard

The web-based Dashboard is accessible from your phone, tablet or desktop computer. When situations arise, you can access any asset from the Dashboard and turn it on…or turn it off. This way, nobody can gain access to the forklift.

When it’s the weekend, and you know access is not available to the company employees, turn all of the forklifts off. Now if the forklift is inside or outside of your facility, nobody, not even kids can start the forklift and get hurt.

Get a demo of the S3 Pedestrian Detection System and get using Forklift Access Control so you can avoid forklift overturns from now on.