Tag: Forklift Safety

Three Leading Causes of Industrial Accidents and Injuries

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In my experience these are the three prime causes for accidents  and injuries in our manufacturing plants.

Who authorized this?
Who authorized this?

  • Failure to wear personal protective equipment.
  • Unauthorized use of tools, machinery or vehicles.
  • Failure to lockout/tagout when performing non routine work on equipment.

While it is personal responsibility to wear personal protective equipment, use only tools and equipment for which one has been trained and authorized, and to avoid hazards by not performing work on operating equipment, it is nevertheless management’s responsibility to assure that workers comply.
What have you done this week to make certain that your employees know that they are accountable for their personal safety?
Forklift Demotivational Poster from Motifake

OSHA EMPHASIS: Powered Industrial Trucks

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Not in my shop!

The powered industrial trucks (PIT) standard (29 CFR 1910.178) is the most commonly cited standard throughout the material handling industries. Most fatalities occur when a worker is crushed by a forklift that has overturned or fallen from a loading dock. The Southeastern USA Regional OSHA is conducting a special emphasis program on Powered Industrial Trucks. 
 
Even if your shop is  not in the Southeast U.S. Region, here’s what you need to know:
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced a new emphasis program focused on reducing fatalities and serious injuries in Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Mississippi, related to powered industrial trucks.
The goal of the special emphasis program is to encourage employers to bring their facilities into compliance with OSHA standards in the maritime, construction and general industries. The regional emphasis program began on May 29 and will continue until Sept. 30, 2012, unless it is extended.
 PMPA staff urges all PMPA members with powered industrial trucks to take this opportunity to review their training, procedures and compliance programs.  Here are 3 resources

  1. OSHA Loading and Unloading Page (links to many resources here!)
  2. OSHA Training Requirements
  3.  PMPA Blog “5 Questions for Forklift Inspection Compliance”

OSHA Special Emphasis News Release (announced  on June 20th  for a program begun on May 29th … nice job on the paperwork, DOL / OSHA)
Photo credit: Motifake