As high-density storage gains popularity, more facilities are using high-lift forklifts, like order pickers, turret trucks, and reach trucks. This specialized equipment comes with its own set of safety considerations. Reach for the sky … No, we’re not talking about gunslingers in the Wild West. Instead, that could be the new mantra for warehouse and distribution center operators as they seek to maximize storage space by using high-bay facilities with narrow aisles and racks that seem to get taller by the year. Lift truck manufacturers have designed electric-powered equipment specifically for this high-density, often narrow-aisle and very narrow-aisle, environment. Examples include reach and stacker trucks, which keep the operator on the ground while the forks and mast rise to the required height for pallet putaway and retrieval, and order pickers and turret trucks, which lift the operator in a compartment or on a platform into the racks for case or piece picking. How high can they go? That varies greatly depending on the type of truck and the application, but the manufacturers we spoke with offer equipment with a total of 18 different mast heights, ranging from 17.5 feet to 59 feet. Several manufacturers said that customers are asking to go still higher. Because these lift trucks perform their work at such great heights, there are a number of safety considerations associated with this type of equipment. Here’s a quick overview. STABILITY IS NUMBER ONE The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) safety standard B56.1-2012, administered by the Industrial Truck Standards Development Foundation (ITSDF), applies to high-lift trucks. It covers everything from fall protection and braking requirements to compliance testing and maintenance. The standard is not just for equipment manufacturers, though; it also defines safety requirements for users and has been adopted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). […]