Safe and Effective Ways to Operate a Forklift in a Warehouse

In need of training for a forklift licence in Perth?

Effective ways to operate a forklift in a safe warehouse.

Forklift operation in a warehouse. There is no place as hazardous as a warehouse when working with a forklift. The workplace is confined, there is not much room for the equipment to operate.

Forklift operation in the warehouse should be carried out with the utmost care and by those with a forklift licence. Safety is one of the most important concerns that should always be prioritised when dealing with forklifts in the warehouse.

Unfortunately, however, safety is something that forklift operators and even supervisors themselves still ignore.

Below are some of the important facts to follow to insure that the operation of the forklift in the warehouse is safe and carried out correctly. These may or may not be known to you, but there is still a good basis for maintaining the health and safety of the warehouse.

Use the correct type of forklift to work in the warehouse.

Electric forklift is the most suitable for indoor use as it does not emit smoke or carbon monoxide. A forklift with a good turning radius is also suitable for operation in the warehouse; it can be easily operated in narrow corridors and turned around to avoid knocking on the warehouse rack.

The other consideration you need to take is the height of the shelves and racks in the warehouse. This will determine if you need a pick-up truck or order picker for a job.

Do you intend to operate the truck indoor, outdoor or both? The combustion engine is the appropriate type of forklift for outdoor use. It packs more punch when it comes to the power it generates, so it can lift heavier loads. Electric ones are suitable for indoor use, but they do not provide more lifting power, just as mentioned above, reach trucks and order pickers are suitable for this operation.

Oh, also find out how heavy goods and goods you have to move in the warehouse on a regular basis. Finding the right type of truck to handle those loads is the most important aspect to consider when buying a forklift. You wouldn’t want to buy a forklift with less lifting capacity.

Talk to the manufacturer or its advisor to know which truck is suitable for your workplace, and they would be happy to provide professional advice.
Using a forklift that is not suitable for work is a safety concern to insure that you have the right one in your warehouse.

Use appropriate storage clothing and personal protective equipment

Know the company’s rules regarding the clothing of warehouses and the wearing of PPE. Forklift operators need to feel comfortable at work, they can wear loose clothes to feel comfortable while working. Tight fit clothing is not appropriate. Coveralls are provided by the company, this kind of clothing is suitable for a kind of job in the warehouse.

Safety glasses and face shields may be required in accordance with company policy. If this is the case, you must wear this protection at all times throughout your shift. These protections are good for protecting your eyes from foreign objects that are common in storage settings.

Forklift operators may also have to wear safety shoes with steel soles. Such shoes provide additional protection, especially when operators are working with heavy objects (well, sometimes manual lifting may be necessary) and at risk of heavy falling objects.

Hard hats are a key piece of safety clothing. Just like safety shoes, they provide additional defence against falling objects. The upper torso, particularly the head, is very vulnerable to falling objects. Wearing hard hats is required if there is a high risk of falling object hazard in the warehouse.

It is the employer’s duty to provide the PPEs to their employees. Workers may also provide for their own use as long as they insure that their work is maintained and appropriate.

Observation of the correct speed limit while moving

In order to control the transport, the company must incorporate the speed limit of the forklift in its safety policy. The aim of setting a speed limit in the warehouse is to prevent accidents such as overturning and overturning when the operator accelerates too much and brakes to a sudden stop.

Placing maximum speed signals at different locations in the warehouse is one way to mitigate this hazard. Everyone needs to be informed about the speed limit in the workplace and everyone is expected to adhere to it.

It is generally acceptable to have a speed limit of 20 km per hour in the outdoor area and 10 km per hour in the indoor area where forklifts are operated in close proximity to the pedestrian area.

Determination of the speed limit in the workplace depends on several factors, such as the type of forklift being driven in the warehouse, the size and weight of the forklifts of different types. These characteristics should be considered in the determination of the maximum speed limit in the warehouse. The heavier the machine, the lower the speed at which it is to be driven.

The construction of racks and shelves themselves is another factor that could be taken into account in the determination of the speed limit. When they are built close to each other, the space between which the forklift can be driven is tight, there is not much room to speed up the equipment safely.

Obstacles and visibility should also be taken into account. Obstacles, such as ramps, may be prevalent at the workplace. The higher the inclination of the ramp, the lower the forklift should be. Poor visibility and lighting also play a role in the speed limit, the dimming of the workplace, the slower the speed of the forklift.

Kept the Warehouse Clean

Warehouse housekeeping, when done on a regular basis, can bring great benefits. With so much activity going on in the warehouse, the risk of accidents among other workplaces is higher in the warehouse. This work place should have regular housekeeping, the more frequent, the less risk of accidents occuring.

Cleanliness should be observed in order to maintain safety and health. Housekeeping is more than just sweeping the floor or removing the garbage at the end of the shift.

The aisles and passageways should be cleared of any obstruction. Remove pallets and other materials from passageways or other areas where people used to walk. It creates hazards for the trip. Any materials that are one of the pathways are a danger to the journey. Clean up any spills of oils and water, report uneven passageway surfaces so that they can be repaired are actions to be taken to prevent an accident.

We never know when an emergency situation is going to happen, exits and entrances should always be cleared of any obstacles so that people and vehicles can pass through it easily.

Are you carrying out housekeeping in your company?

Create awareness of safety among employees

The placement of safety signs around the warehouse is one of the simplest ways to create safety awareness that can be easily implemented. Safety signs are great for informing workers of the potential hazards involved in a particular location or work process at the workplace.

The employer has legal responsibility to the forklift operator – that is, to provide training on a regular basis. Operators need to understand the health and safety of the warehouse. In order to provide them with knowledge, safety training is regularly provided to workers in order to keep them up to date with the current legislation and regulations on the operation of forklifts. Safety training is also a good way to correct their bad behaviour, which means that those workers involved in an accident must be trained to recognise the mistakes they have made in contributing to the accident.

There are many other possible approaches to creating safety awareness among workers, depending on the current requirements of the warehouse.

What were the ways you’ve already done to raise security awareness in the warehouse? Were they sufficient or still in need of improvement? I’m going to leave you the answer.

Regular Training for Forklift Operators

Forklifts have long been essential for warehouse workers. Forklifts make the work a lot easier and more efficient. However, when driven by an untrained operator, forklifts can become a serious hazard to the operator and others. Anyone who is tasked with handling a truck must be properly trained and certified to operate it first. Only those personnel who have been trained to drive it can handle the truck, if you haven’t received any training, don’t touch it. Forklift operation in the warehouse is no joke, it should be carried out by someone who is competent to operate the machine.

Inspection Should be Carried out Prior to Operation

Nothing is much safer than having a forklift in an excellent working condition. This can be done by inspecting the machine regularly prior to operation. Forklift operation in the warehouse requires equipment to be in top condition to insure safe and efficient operation.

Forklift operators are responsible for keeping the truck in good working condition. If the machine has not been maintained, there is a great potential that causes serious accidents, injuries and even death during operation in the warehouse.

Forklift inspection can be carried out daily or before every shift, if used around the clock. The more frequent the inspection, the better the performance of the forklift will be.

If you are looking for a LF licence in Perth contact us now to find out about our next training course.