Safety and efficiency are our number one priorities at Premier. And a warehouse cannot be efficient without its employees being as safe as possible at all times. Today’s warehouse equipment is designed with several safety features and accessories to further ensure that employees are comfortable and free of harm. The warehouse industry, however, has the highest injury and fatality rate out of any other industry, which can be largely associated with carelessness and misuse of equipment.
Forklifts account for over 95,000 injuries and 100 deaths every year. Many of those injuries can be attributed to misuse and carelessness.
Here are some examples of how not to use a forklift:
Never stand on the forks during operation. Falls account for the most injuries in the workplace.
[Do not use the forklift as a means of transportation. Forklifts are not designed to move people safely.
[Secure loads properly. Use the correct straps and fasteners so the load does not fall, potentially injuring you or a coworker.
[Do not *double stack* a forklift. Forklifts are designed to lift loads only as high as the mast will allow.
[Poor operating procedures such as these make entertaining photos and videos to share. The fact is, however, potentially deadly habits such as these are a serious matter. Spread awareness of the importance of proper operating procedures to your coworkers or employees and don’t get featured on the OSHA weekly fatality report.