Precast Inc. - May/June 2008 - (Page 63) UNDERSTANDING LIFTING CAPACITIES, PERFORMING DAILY CHECKS OF FLUIDS AND CONTROLS, FULLY LOWERING THE FORKS WHEN LEFT UNATTENDED, AND OPERATING WITHIN THE TRUCK’S LIMITATIONS ARE ALL GOOD EXAMPLES OF A PROPER FORKLIFT SAFETY PROGRAM. truck will operate (dirt, concrete, asphalt.) Pedestrian traffic, aisle ways, hazardous locations and ramps should all be addressed during training. It is important to ensure the operator has a clear understanding of the environment in which they will be working and the associated hazards. The operator evaluation also needs to be completed and documented by someone who has the knowledge, training and experience in operating a powered industrial truck. Evaluations should take place in real working conditions to ensure competence of the operator. Retraining is also addressed in the OSHA standards and is required any time one of the following occurs: • When there is an accident or near miss involving the operator of the powered industrial truck • When the operator has been observed doing something unsafe • When an evaluation reveals that the operator is not operating the truck safely • When the operator is assigned a different type of truck • When conditions in the workplace change that could affect the safe operation of the truck In addition to retraining, operator evaluations must be completed at least once every three years. Understanding the safety features of the forklift are also an important part of worker safety. For example, tip overs are the leading cause of forklift accidents, so it is extremely important for operators to wear seatbelts at all times while operating the lift. Horns and beepers that sound when backing are also important safety features that never should be overlooked. OSHA’s 1910.178 (p)(1) states that any time a powered industrial truck is found to be in need of repair, defective or in any way unsafe, the truck must be taken out of service until it has been restored to safe operating condition. To stay in compliance with the safe operation of a forklift, the operator needs to conduct daily documented inspections of the lift and note any deficiencies. Daily inspections should include the following items: tires and wheels, forks, overhead guard, MAY/JUNE 2008 | WWW.PRECAST.ORG 63 http://www.precast.org
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