Please, After You. What Goes First, Pedestrian Safety or Forklift Safety

Forklift pedestrian safe distances takes into consideration pedestrian safety and forklift safety. With pedestrians and forklifts sharing the same work areas, it is important to establish guidelines that prioritize the well-being of both pedestrians and forklift operators. While many assume that pedestrians always have the right of way, the reality is more nuanced.

sUnderstanding Forklift Pedestrian Safe Distances

In the realm of workplace safety, it is necessary to differentiate between the right of way for pedestrians and forklifts. According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), there is no specific rule that dictates the right of way between pedestrians and forklifts. Instead, it is the responsibility of the company to establish its own policies that prioritize the safety of its workers and the forklift operator. This means clear guidelines must be set for what is a forklift pedestrian safe distance. But will it be enough?

Promoting Pedestrian and Forklift Safety

To ensure the forklift pedestrian safe distances, it is essential to train both forklift operators and pedestrians not only on the company’s standards, but also a clear understanding of the forklift: how it operates and what can be or can’t be seen. By educating workers on their responsibilities and the potential risks involved, facilities can reduce the likelihood of accidents and injuries. But does it reduce accidents enough? Let’s first identify ways to improve pedestrian and forklift safety:

1. Create designated pedestrian walkways: It’s always a good idea to separate pedestrians from moving forklifts by creating clearly marked walkways. This designation works to minimize the chances of a collision and provides pedestrians with a safer path. But…do they stick to it? We all know the risk with walkways.
2. Establish communication gesture protocols: Because the facility can be a very loud place, knowing and sharing gestures to acknowledge each other’s presence can be helpful in avoiding a collision.
3. Implement stacking guidelines: Clearly define where and how products should be stacked. Knowing how high it can be stacked, how close it is to others’ workspace and where workers walk are all considerations that can contribute to safe distances.
4. Ensure proper forklift operator training and certification: Every forklift operator should undergo thorough training and certification specific to the type of forklift they will be operating.
5. Require workers and visitors to wear safety gear: Wearing safety gear not only keeps the worker or visitor protected, but also helps identify their location. It will add to their safety by enforcing, or at least encouraging, a minimum safe distance of at least 6 feet between workers and forklifts.

#6 Add a Forklift Safety System

But is that enough? These are all great safety precautions, and many facilities have already implemented them. And yet, accidents continue. What can be done? A forklift safety system with pedestrian detection and object detection can be added for greatest impact.

Technology has come a long way, and SIERA.AI has utilized AI and machine learning technology to identify a human and an object. The AI based camera scans every 60ms and intelligently identifies a person or human with audio and visual warnings to ensure notification to the operator.

By adding the S3 Pedestrian Detection System to your forklift, which can work on any forklift manufacturer, is one of the most comprehensive solutions to reduce accidents with humans as well as the product and facility itself.

Contact Us!

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