Forklift Safety: Protecting Yourself in the Presence of Forklifts

It’s critical to think about forklift pedestrian safety systems as a worker or visitor in a facility. Just because you don’t drive a forklift, it doesn’t mean you don’t need to know about forklift safety. In fact, as a pedestrian in a warehouse, factory, or distribution center where forklifts are present, it is crucial for you to be just as aware of the dangers as the forklift drivers themselves. After all, you’re included in the risk factor. By taking the necessary steps to safeguard yourself and those working around you when forklifts are in your area, you can ensure a safer work environment for everyone involved.

What are Forklift Pedestrian Safety Systems?

Forklift pedestrian safety systems are the technologies used in order to partner with the forklift driver to identify when a pedestrian is within a close proximity to the moving or operating forklift. These systems, such as SIERA.AI’s S3 forklift safety system ensures the identification of a pedestrian by scanning every 60ms within a pre-defined distance ensuring that no dangers are within that distance. If so, then a visual and audio warning is presented to the driver to ensure safety in that space at all times.

How to Make Yourself Visible to the Driver

In addition to forklift pedestrian safety systems, it’s always good to practice personal safety. Here are a few ways to keep yourself safe during the workday.

1. Eye Contact: First and foremost, when a forklift comes near, make sure the driver sees you. Make eye contact with the driver and ensure they acknowledge your presence. Removing mirrored or tinted safety glasses can help the driver see your eyes and know that you have seen them.
2. Avoid Pinning Accidents: If a forklift is stationary but the driver is in the seat and the engine is running, make sure to let the driver know you are there. They may suddenly begin moving, and you could become pinned between the forklift and another object.
3. Approach from the Side: Always approach a forklift from the side and only after it has come to a complete stop. The front and rear areas of a forklift are the most dangerous to approach from. Remember, ALWAYS approach from the side.

Obey Traffic Rules

1. Stay Alert to Safety Devices: Always obey traffic safety devices such as motion sensor alarms and pedestrian safety gates. These devices ensure that both you and the forklift driver are aware of oncoming traffic. Remember, it’s your job to yield the right-of-way to any forklift approaching, unless a safety gate has dropped its boom arm and opened the crosswalk in your direction.
2. Look Before Proceeding: Stop, look both ways, and listen before entering an aisle, going around a blind corner, or entering a forklift traffic lane from an office or other doorway. Be especially cautious when entering between racks or stacks of products, as a driver may not see you until you’re already in their path. Be mindful of blind spots where you and a forklift driver cannot see each other.
3. Cross at Designated Areas: Never climb over guard rails to cross a forklift traffic zone. The guard rails are there to protect both you and the drivers from devastating collisions. Only enter forklift traffic zones at marked crosswalks.

Keep Workers and Work Zones Safe

1. Clear Aisles and Obstructions: To help forklift drivers safely maneuver through a facility, keep aisles clear of obstructions. Remove any hazards such as pallet stacks that obstruct travel paths or visibility. Additionally, ensure spills are promptly cleaned up to reduce the risk of skidding or loss of steering control.
2. Maintain a Safe Distance: Keep a safe distance from a loading or unloading forklift. Loads are particularly unstable during the loading/unloading process. Staying at least ten feet clear ensures that you won’t be hit or crushed if the load should fall.
3. Avoid Forsaken Positions: NEVER walk under raised forks or pass in front of a forklift with raised forks, whether loaded or empty. Don’t work below loads on raised forks either. It’s all too easy for the forklift to lose pressure, causing the forks to lower before you can move out of harm’s way.
4. Forklifts are not for People: Forklifts are not intended to carry people unless that person is sitting in the driver’s seat. Never allow someone to get a ride by hopping onto the frame, forks, or body of a forklift. Forklifts are not to be used as people lifts, and falls from raised pallets or forks should never occur. Let’s not be part of those statistics.

Share the Responsibility

Lastly, it is essential to remember that just as you have a responsibility to report unsafe forklift drivers, they are required to report unsafe pedestrian behavior. Even if you are not a forklift driver, understanding forklift safety is paramount. By maintaining awareness and adherence to safety protocols, you can ensure a safer workplace for all.

Forklift pedestrian safety systems along with the driver and the pedestrians are a shared responsibility. As a pedestrian, it is crucial to prioritize your safety by making yourself visible to forklift drivers, obeying traffic rules, and keeping workers and work zones safe. By understanding and following these guidelines, you can contribute to a safer work environment and reduce the risk of accidents and injuries associated with forklift operations.

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