Safer by design

Today’s lift trucks boast more designed-in safety features than ever. Operators will get the greatest benefit from these advances if they’re paired with proper training.

By Toby Gooley

It wasn’t all that long ago that lift truck operators were largely on their own when it came to safety, relying almost entirely on their eyes, ears, and best judgment to prevent accidents. But as warehouse and DC operations got bigger and faster-paced, it became harder to maintain forklift safety. Fleet managers and operators needed help, and lift truck makers responded, taking advantage of new technologies and engineering methods to design an array of safety features into their trucks. As a result, today’s forklifts are more stable, provide greater visibility, and offer more protection to operators than ever before.

As part of our special coverage of National Forklift Safety Day 2017, we asked manufacturers why they think it’s important to incorporate safety features into their trucks, and how they decide which ones to add. Along with addressing those questions, they provided some recent examples of safety-related enhancements to their products. Finally, they offered their thoughts about the continuing responsibility of operators and fleet managers to maintain a safe work environment.

COMMITMENT TO SAFETY

When it comes to safety, lift truck operators have their work cut out for them. “Today’s warehouses and manufacturing facilities are dynamic, at times unstructured environments,” notes Mick McCormick, vice president of warehouse solutions for Yale Materials Handling Corp. “Operators must be aware of co-workers, foot traffic, other vehicles, and infrastructure like racking and walls—all while remaining focused on the task at hand.”

Read entire article in DC Velocity here.

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