FORKLIFT

Forklifts are crucial in industries like warehousing, distribution, manufacturing, and construction, enhancing efficiency and safety in material handling operations. Unfortunately, struck-by incidents are a major concern, often caused by human error and proximity to operating forklifts. Strict safety protocols are essential to mitigate these risks. Implementing systems like the Safety Halo and proximity detection on forklifts helps delineate safe zones and alerts humans to potential dangers, promoting safer behaviour by encouraging them to stay clear of hazardous areas.

Forklifts are essential for moving bulk goods, commonly used in various industries for material handling and logistical operations. Forklifts are commonly used in various industries for material handling and logistical operations. Primarily used in warehousing and distribution, airports, seaports, rail terminals, manufacturing, construction, retail, transportation and logistics, agriculture, cold storage and food processing, and waste management and recycling. These industries rely on forklifts to improve efficiency, productivity, and safety in material handling operations.

Unfortunately, struck-by incidents involving forklifts are a significant concern in workplace safety. These incidents occur when workers or pedestrians are struck by a moving forklift or its load and often have life changing or catastrophic impacts to those involved. In most cases, human error is the result of these incidents and can nearly always be attributed to a person being too close to an operating forklift.

When a person is struck by a forklift, several types of incidents can occur, often resulting in serious injuries or fatalities. Common incidents include:

• Direct impact: The person may be directly struck by the forklift’s body or forks, leading to injuries from the force of impact.

• Crushing injuries: If the person is caught between the forklift and a fixed object or between the forklift and another vehicle or structure, crushing injuries can occur.

• Falling objects: If the forklift is carrying a load that is improperly secured or unstable, it may shift or fall, striking nearby individuals.

• Runovers: In some cases, individuals may be run over by the forklift if they fall or are knocked to the ground in the path of the moving vehicle.

• Pinching or shearing injuries: These occur when a person’s body part, such as a limb or extremity, gets caught or pinched between moving parts of the forklift or between the forklift and another object.

Each of these incidents can result in severe injuries such as fractures, lacerations, amputations, or even death, highlighting the importance of strict safety protocols that ensure human interaction with forklifts is removed, to remove the risk entirely.

It is possible to completely remove these risks with systems that positively affect human behaviour, rather than systems that promote risky behaviour (that is, a human relying on the safety technology to keep them safe, rather than removing themselves from the risk altogether.) By employing the Safety Halo™ system on forklifts, a clear delineation is made between safe and unsafe areas, prompting a human to ensure they stay out of the danger area. In addition, when forklift proximity detection is used, a human will be alerted when a forklift is nearby, allowing them to change their behaviour, stop, look, assess the risk and ensure they proceed when they are clear from harm’s way.