Do You Check Your Blind Spot?
We’ve all been there. It’s been a long day, or you’re running late, or you have too much on your mind – whatever the reason, sometimes we forget to check our blind spot. More than 800,000 automobile accidents are caused by blind spots every year. Like automobiles, forklifts have blind spots too.
Powered Industrial Trucks (PITs) or forklifts also face other workplace safety hazards. Used in shipyards, ports, and distribution facilities, most forklift drivers work in warehouse environments where they encounter many potential hazards. Let’s take a look at the Top 5 warehouse Forklift Safety Hazards:
- Ramps into Trucks
- Sprinklers
- Shelving
- Blind Corners
- Pedestrians
Ramps are especially dangerous outside in the event of inclement weather, so make sure you have good tires and proceed with extreme caution. Also, be careful when backing down ramps as excessive speed causes most accidents. Sprinklers can easily be damaged or impeded if you aren’t careful about the load height. Shelving creates potential warehouse safety hazards if they are damaged, or loads are not properly stacked. The blind corners impede forklift operators from seeing pedestrians, especially in high traffic areas. Pedestrians themselves are often a hazard too because they aren’t paying attention at the crossing or inadvertently step out of the assigned walkways. Fortunately, all of these warehouse forklift safety hazards can be avoided with training, proper safety equipment, and active safety alert systems.
The most important part of warehouse forklift safety is keeping people safe, which is why we created several products that actively alert both the pedestrian and the forklift operator of crossing and eliminate blind corner issues. It’s easy to not notice the painted sign on the floor while walking through the warehouse engaged in conversation with a colleague, checking your phone, or even just lost in thought but it is not easy to miss our signs. We have three main products that actively alert pedestrians of oncoming forklift traffic.
To address pedestrian safety, we designed Project ALERT by adding sensors to a virtual sign projector. The projector, when activated by oncoming forklift traffic, flashes a warning image in the pedestrian walkway to alert of oncoming danger. The images are customizable and are more durable and cost-effective than paint or floor stickers. We also have Office ALERT, a small LED display for offices and doorways to warn pedestrians of approaching forklifts before they step into the active Forklift aisle.
Lastly, do you know the dome mirrors most warehouses have to prevent blind spot issues? We gave them an upgrade with sensors to detect approaching forklift traffic and flash built-in LED caution signs to actively alert pedestrians, turning a passive mirror into an active alarm.
There are over 90,000 forklift accident-related injuries every year and even more upsetting, there are 85 deaths per year relating to forklift safety hazards and accidents. Nearly 70% of all forklift accidents are preventable, so why aren’t they prevented? Are you doing everything you can to keep your warehouse forklift drivers and the pedestrians in your facility as safe as possible? Active ALERT Safety Products are the solution to improved workplace safety.
If you have any questions about our products or are looking for forklift safety solutions, please call us at (513) 791-4790, email us info@alertsafetyproducts.com, or check out our website to learn more: https://alertsafetyproducts.com