Working with forklifts, which is one of the frequently used vehicles in many warehouses and industrial facilities in business sectors, requires operators. Receiving a certain technical training to use this tool, as well as training on occupational safety according to working conditions, produces positive results. Accidents may occur due to technical errors, but injuries or deaths are prevented if precautions regarding occupational safety are taken. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to occupational safety while working with forklifts.
Transferring, stacking, carrying loads facilitates the work to be done and helps to maintain order. Forklifts fulfil a very important function in today’s industry to increase work efficiency and prevent employees from having ergonomic problems due to manual transport.
Using a forklift may seem easy at first glance, but it is understood from the statistics kept in occupational accidents that there are various risks. Forklifts that are heavier than an average car require mastery to maintain balance, to use appropriate techniques while carrying loads, to establish the centre of gravity and to use them on slopes. Therefore, there may be sufficient reasons for occupational accidents to occur.
Accidents that may happen during forklift operations and their causes
Examining the accidents that may occur in forklift operations and their causes is a prerequisite for taking the necessary precautions. Every year, there are many occupational accidents caused by the use of forklifts in workplaces. This may be due to operator error as well as the slippage of the lifted material. Therefore, in order to prevent these accidents, risk analyses should be made about what could cause them. Also take a look at personal emergency alert app.
While forklifts provide numerous benefits to efficiency and productivity, it is vital to recognise and control the risks associated with potential hazards in the workplace. There may be situations that can go wrong while working with the forklift. Some of the most common setbacks are:
- operator errors
- collision with staff
- dropping of loads during transport
- load drop via raised forklift arm
- collisions due to lack of in-warehouse traffic management
- faulty forklifts that have not been maintained
- failure of operators to comply with site rules and safe working instructions (speeding, not wearing seat belts, not playing the warning chime before cornering)
The way for workplaces to consider such risks is the risk analysis and assessment made within the scope of occupational safety. Training of forklift operators on these measures can prevent many negative consequences.
Which occupational safety precautions can be taken while working with forklift?
It is easier to comply with the measures adopted in the occupational safety measures that can be taken while working with forklifts. Here are some effective measures that can help you manage forklift risks in the workplace:
- you must prevent people from walking around the forklift working area.
- create a traffic management plan, you must create the roads and safe working areas for the forklift to walk.
- you should make sure that all employees understand this management plan well.
- make sure workers use appropriate protective equipment.
- check the operation of the forklift before working to make sure it is safe.
- ensure operators follow site rules.
- make sure operators comply with the forklift’s load limit.
- ensure that the safe working procedure has been developed and fully followed.
- create a barrier to prevent the truck from hitting people or structures.
To prevent forklift accidents, you must ensure that the rules are set and followed. It is important for businesses to be aware of the risks that arise when using forklifts and to reflect these risks to workers in order to apply them in the workplace.
Are you entitled to compensation if you have an accident at work in Australia?
Yes. You can claim compensation. Thanks to workers’ compensation in Australia, there is insurance that protects you if you are injured or ill in employment. However, it would not be correct to generalise since the risks of each business line and each accident have many different situations.
Many things, such as the type of compensation that can be claimed, the amount of this compensation, are closely related to the person’s situation. That’s why it’s a good idea to talk to personal injury lawyers in Sydney when making a claim.
What about lawyer fees?
After the accident, the compensation process is quite tiring for the person. On top of that, if you have decided to work with a lawyer, the question “what if I can’t get the compensation, how can I pay the lawyer?” will definitely come. To avoid such concerns, we recommend that you contact the no win no fee lawyers in Sydney, who do not charge their own fees, if the requested compensation is received. This way, you can focus solely on healing.
