Forklifts are not like ordinary vehicles. They pose significant safety risks, so following certain protocols is important to prevent accidents. When a person operates a forklift, he or she is taking responsibility for machinery that can potentially cause harm.
Conducting regular inspections can be a real game-changer in ensuring that your forklifts are in excellent working condition. Let’s discuss how a forklift inspection checklist can promote the safe use of these powered industrial trucks.
Understanding Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Standards for Forklift Safety
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has created guidelines to help forklift operators effectively prevent accidents and injuries. Here are some of the things they will need to do to use forklift trucks safely:
- Any forklift truck found to be in unsafe condition must be removed.
- Lift trucks need to be clean and free of grease and excess engine oil.
- They must be maintained and repaired as necessary.
However, meeting OSHA’s standards isn’t easy, especially if you are not conducting safety inspections regularly. Forklift inspection checklists help to identify any potential issues that may cause the lift truck to be deemed unsafe and address them before it has had a chance to escalate.
When You Complete a Forklift Safety Checklist, You Check That All Parts Are in Good Working Condition
Daily forklift inspections are important to ensure that all parts are functioning as they should. When you conduct a daily forklift inspection, you would typically check the following:
- The overhead guard
- Parking brake
- Tire condition
- Air filters
- Forklift attachments
- Unusual noises
Drawing Attention to the Appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Safety Features
When you implement a robust forklift inspection process, you also ensure that operators are paying attention to safety features, such as the seat belt. This increases the likelihood that they will use these devices when using the lift truck. Moreover, inspections highlight the importance of safety, which can encourage operators to wear their PPE.
Record360 Can Help You Ensure Safe Forklift Operation
Forklift accident prevention begins with a robust inspection process. Record360 has an intuitive software solution designed to help ensure that your forklifts are in excellent working condition. You can not only keep track of any issues identified during inspections but also capture photos and videos that serve as proof.
If you would like to try out our software for yourself, please contact us today to schedule a FREE demo!
