The importance of forklift safety and certification

The ability to load and unload material on and off shelving is more important than anything else to keep productivity moving in today’s industries. That’s why powered industrial trucks (P.I.T.) or forklifts are an important part of many businesses. If operators are not educated on how to safely operate them, it can be hazardous to the operator, costly and a liability to the company.

Few workplace machines are as useful or as dangerous as the P.I.T.. Employee fatalities and injuries happen each year in a P.I.T. related accident. Forklift accidents cause more than 20,000 injuries per year. The leading cause of injuries and fatalities are forklift tip overs. P.I.T. are designed to be very steady and powerful. The center of gravity is above the unit’s wheelbase. When a tip over takes place, the center of gravity moves excessively forward. Causing an accident or worst. As preventative measures, workers must stay current and up to date with training to avoid deadly powered industrial accidents, near misses and incidents.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) governs over the industry and must be notified of any accidents. As reported by OSHA, hazards are routinely among the top 10 violations. In 2020, the minimum fine increased from $9,472 to $9,639 and the maximum penalty increased from $13,260 to $13,494. Repeated violations could result in penalties up to $134,937. Companies are encouraged to invest in keeping a safe environment and train their employees to avoid OSHA fines. The resources spent on training to prevent accidents in the workplace provides everyone with peace of mind and protects your company’s investments.

Everyone in construction or general industry jobs knows the importance of safety, but they often forget when they are under pressure to meet a deadline. When people are in a rush, safety is not the first thing they think of and that’s when accidents happen. Limiting the amount of accidents in the workplace can be prevented if employees are properly trained. Being aware and following the rules and regulations that have been put into place is for everyone’s protection. Education is the best weapon to combat the possibility of accidents occurring in the workplace. One of our main goal is to ensure that everyone who operates a forklift knows the importance of doing it in the safest way and every employee, operator and contractor leave the job unharmed.

 Amy Annibal is the Safety Training Director at FMH Material Handling Solutions. Before she entered the forklift industry in February 2012 at FMH as the Forklift Safety Director, Annibal spent over 15 years in the mortgage industry. She’s the mother of two amazing kids, and she love animals. Working with people has always been her passion. Recently she conducted the Train the Trainer program at the JLG University, and she cover class I, II, III, IV, VVI, VII AND ALL MEWP (mobile evaluating work platforms). It is her goal to always be up to date on the latest changes in the industry and share her knowledge with others to keep everyone safe.