Using Human Factors in Forklift Safety Systems
EHS Today’s newsletter featured an article on human factors in toolbox talks. It discusses how toolbox talks are a great form of communication and enhances discussions with workers about safety. But now let’s add using human factors to the mix. It may not be a new concept in the marketplace, but it seems to be gaining traction. How can using human factors in forklift safety systems help keep people from getting hurt or product from getting damaged? Let’s explore the topic further.
Using Human Factors in Forklift Safety Systems
Human factors refer to the understanding of how people think, how they behave and interact within their environment. You can design training courses that include these discussions to ensure a full understanding of safety and the tools they interact with on a daily basis.
By using human factors in forklift safety systems, this can be a great way to gain a further knowledge and understanding of what to think about. For instance, if the forklift safety system warning goes off, it is to let you, the driver, know that a person or object has entered the safe zone around the forklift. What is the best practice? Give your attention to the situation as the system alerted you, the driver, to a danger. This danger would have gone unnoticed as the driver would be working and therefore looking elsewhere.
Using Toolbox Talks on Specific Topics
When crafting up your toolbox talk with human factors, be sure it matches real-world situations. Don’t make the situation perfect, you need to show and say it like it is so the pedestrian detection system can be understood for its safety benefits.
For instance, one important feature of the pedestrian detection system is the ‘partial-human detection’. This is when the AI forklift safety system ‘sees’ a worker mostly hidden behind an object such as a pallet. Some workers are crawling, stooping or bending behind boxes or equipment. The AI pedestrian detection system is so learned that it can read as small as two fingers, a tip of a work boot or an exposed or not exposed elbow, for instance.
The human factor part of this would question if there’s a person nearby that the operator cannot see. The next question to ask is should I get off the forklift and go see for myself if there is a person behind those boxes, pallet or equipment. When you exercise those thoughts and caution, you’ll get the answer you need in order to move forward with the work at hand.
How to Get Started
Implementing and using human factors in forklift safety systems will begin to train the forklift driver to ask those necessary, cautious questions to ensure safety is met. The pedestrian detection system is identifying the risk, and now the forklift driver can utilize the forklift safety system in a powerful way to protect those around the forklift while the driver gets a chance to get the work done. Contact us today to begin your journey to safety. sales@siera.ai
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Contact us today at sales@siera.ai or call us at (512) 817 0702.