7 Ways to Enhance Forklift Safety and Productivity Through Training and Tech

By Joe Koch

Object detection technology can help prevent contact with assets and pedestrians. Image courtesy of Yale Lift Truck Technologies.

Did you know that businesses spend about $171 billion¹ per year on costs related to occupational injuries and illnesses? With pressure to meet tight order fulfillment deadlines and long hours pushing personnel and processes to their limit, operations can be vulnerable to safety risks. And in warehouses, these are often more than just risks, as injury rates are in some cases more than twice as high as in other industries. In response, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established a three-year-long national emphasis program² focused on reducing these rates.

Fortunately, there are steps that companies can take to mitigate hazards and reduce costs, including through building and maintaining a culture of lift truck safety. Here are seven ways you can help cultivate safety.

1. Make training a priority to reduce operator error

Operators who are poorly or insufficiently trained can create unsafe situations for themselves and their fellow workers and reduce their ability to meet productivity standards. To foster a culture of safety, operators are required to receive training for powered industrial trucks that adheres to OSHA standards and is tailored to the operator’s exact use of the equipment – specific to the site, truck class and application.

Hands-on safety demonstrations and instruction are essential elements of any training program. Assigning an experienced mentor to work directly with new hires provides an additional resource for asking questions and obtaining facility knowledge, increasing the chances of successful onboarding.

In addition to operators, pedestrians must understand how to interact safely with lift trucks. These employees should participate in training that addresses pedestrian safety issues throughout the facility, including interactions with lift trucks and other mobile equipment, as well as understanding hazards presented by mobile equipment in that facility.

2. Enrich training with virtual reality technology

Facilities looking to enrich their training portfolio may want to consider simulation. While they are not a substitute for OSHA-mandated hands-on training, forklift simulators can help operators learn accurate equipment response, complete with automated, real-time feedback on their performance, all while working in an immersive and realistic 360° learning environment. This approach can help reduce the risk of product damage, facility damage and injury associated with operating a real lift truck in an active work setting, and allows new operators to practice in a low-pressure environment.

3. Adhere to safety protocols with automation

Warehouse labor turnover has hovered around 40% in recent years, producing a significant training burden for facilities. Meanwhile, having new and inexperienced operators on-site can increase the risk of site-specific safety protocol and traffic rule infractions.

Thanks to navigation technology and site-specific programming, automated lift trucks can adapt to surroundings and real-time conditions while strictly following safety protocols. This capability can help reduce the risk of accidents and collisions, especially compared to manual lift trucks operated by new employees. Of course, warehouse workers must also be trained on how to properly interact with autonomous forklifts.

A robotic tow tractor application like this one from Yale can improve productivity by hauling large loads over long distances. Image courtesy of Yale Lift Truck Technologies.

A robotic tow tractor application like this one from Yale can improve productivity by hauling large loads over long distances. Image courtesy of Yale Lift Truck Technologies.

4. Use telemetry to protect assets, manage costs and optimize productivity

Technology can also help companies manage equipment and operator behavior. Remote data monitoring solutions, such as telemetry systems, make critical maintenance data accessible, while also providing alerts and fault codes related to hazardous driving behaviors, such as excessive speed or impacts. Having access to this kind of data allows organizations to isolate and work on remediating problem areas and reinforce best practices to promote safety.

Some original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) offer an optional impact camera that syncs with the impact detection of the main telemetry system, automatically saving video footage three minutes before and after an impact. Not only does this feature help provide clarity when impacts occur, it also promotes accountability in adhering to safe operating practices.

Another telemetry feature available on some systems is load sensing. Depending on the system and truck configuration, if onboard sensors detect a load beyond the truck’s rated capacity, the telemetry system can respond in a variety of ways, including alerting the operator via the display, notifying supervisors of the event and setting hydraulic and traction restrictions.

5. Reinforce best practices with operator assist solutions (OAS)

A broad category of tools known as OAS can provide operators with varying levels of real-time support. For one, stability control systems monitor the lift truck and the load, and when they detect the truck exceeding certain designated stability thresholds, provide alerts and apply automatic interventions to help reduce the likelihood of forward and sideways tip overs.

A more advanced type of operator assistance technology controls truck performance based on real-time information about not only the equipment, but also the operating environment. In practice, this technology can work to automatically slow down lift trucks as they approach the end of an aisle, prevent trucks from moving loads that exceed weight thresholds and more. Used as a complement to proper training, an operator assist solution can help maximize operator productivity and equipment uptime.

6. Give your operators comfort and control where it counts

Sprains and strains account for 36%³ of workplace injuries and are the most prevalent type of injury to the back, shoulder and knee. Since operators spend most of their time sitting, standing and twisting, ergonomics is key for enhancing comfort, productivity and safety.

Lift truck manufacturers have made significant strides in the development of ergonomic features that complement safe materials handling practices. Carefully evaluate your equipment so that operators can stay fresh and productive and reduce their risk of injuries related to poor ergonomics.

7. Don’t skimp on maintenance

Maintenance plays a major role in creating a safe and more productive work environment. Something as common as an oil leak can lead to downtime, lost productivity and financial impacts.

By executing a planned maintenance (PM) program, organizations can be confident that each lift truck receives timely inspections and remains at peak operating efficiency. Often, lift truck dealers and OEMs offer turnkey PM programs so organizations can focus on their core business. Plus, such a program can provide for correctly configured backups when lift trucks need to be taken out of use for service.

Safety can help enable productivity advantages

Contrary to popular misconceptions, adherence to strict safety standards does not run counter to the aggressive productivity targets and speed of modern supply chains. Safe operating practices can help avoid unplanned costs that can eat into already thin margins. A partner with a strong safety background can help your organization leverage technology and tried-and-true safety practices to keep warehouses running efficiently.

Joe Koch is Sales Manager, Emerging Technology, Yale Lift Truck Technologies. Yale leverages over a century of material handling experience and a substantial investment in innovation to help customers adapt to today’s demanding supply chain. The company offers a full line of reach trucks, order pickers, turret trucks, pallet jacks and trucks, pallet stackers, tow tractors and counterbalanced forklifts, as well as powerful operator assist solutions, proven robotics and a wide range of power sources. www.yale.com/en-us/north-america/

1. osha.gov/businesscase
2. osha.gov/news/newsreleases/national/07132023
3. https://bit.ly/3TrIBlq