Forklift accident risks: common causes and solutions
Analyses by accident insurers show that accidents involving industrial trucks are a daily occurrence every year. These accidents range from crush injuries to fatal injuries. Employers always strive to prevent accidents involving personal injury and property damage. Griptech offers a range of products to minimize the risk of accidents. Let's look at the most common causes of accidents involving forklifts and industrial trucks and what solutions Griptech has to offer.
Collisions
A well-trained and qualified forklift driver knows that he has to reverse when he has picked up a load that is so high that it obstructs his view. Nevertheless, collisions with personal injuries or property damage occur again and again because the forklift driver decided to drive forward when visibility was inadequate. Even if companies sensitize their drivers with operating instructions and training, it often happens that forklift drivers subjectively assess the situation differently. Precisely because reversing with a forklift or industrial truck can lead to an ergonomically uncomfortable posture, driving forward is often the more ergonomically pleasant solution.
An additional source of accidents can be fork tines protruding from under the load. These are difficult or even impossible for the forklift driver to see, but must be added to the entire length of the vehicle, especially when maneuvering and cornering. You can pay attention to good visibility when purchasing the industrial trucks, but even this has its limits. Griptech has a comprehensive repertoire of Camera systems in the portfolio. A camera on the mast of the forklift offers a clear view of the driving lane even with large loads and thus helps to avoid collisions with the forklift.
The Attachments from Griptech, such as Fork positioners or Spinning Playground Equipment, always have excellent visibility, so that they restrict the driver's view as little as possible even when driving without a load. In addition, Griptech offers the TeleKOOIfork, a robust telescopic fork from the KOOI brand, is a way to avoid protruding forks. The TeleKOOI forks can be hydraulically or manually can be extended and retracted. This means that the forks can always be optimally adjusted to the required length.
Summary of collisions:
Causes:
- Restricted visibility due to components of the forklift, attachments or load
- Inattention of the driver, e.g. due to stress and hecticness
- Ergonomically uncomfortable posture
Possible actions:
- use of Attachments with minimal visibility restriction from Griptech
- use of Camera systems by Griptech
- Avoidance of protruding forks by KOOI®Reachforks by Griptech
- Use of swivel seats or seats with raised position
- Preparation of operating instructions and regular training
- Optimization of traffic routes, pedestrian paths and operational processes
- Use of panoramic mirrors in unclear areas
Accidents when reversing with forklifts
Accidents often occur when reversing, which can not only cause damage to property but also personal injury. As already described in the "Start-up accidents" section, reversing with a forklift or industrial truck can lead to an ergonomically uncomfortable posture for the driver, which in turn can lead to so-called blind spots. Sometimes the traffic routes are not sufficiently visible for the forklift driver, for example due to improperly parked pallets at forks in the road.
It is therefore necessary that the driver can see the driving lane clearly. For operational reasons, this requires sufficiently wide and adequately illuminated driving paths. The technical equipment on the vehicle can also make a significant contribution to accident prevention. Griptech offers the HMOS DigiCoax CornerEye camera a rear view camera with a viewing angle of 270°. Thanks to digital HD technology, this camera delivers a razor-sharp image and has a latency time of less than 6 µs. In addition, Griptech offers the RadarEye a combination of camera and radar system. This system helps to monitor the area behind the forklift truck even in poor visibility conditions. This system is a great safety benefit, especially when driving in outdoor areas. The use of a Griptech camera system also eliminates the need for the driver to turn backwards. This promotes a better ergonomic posture and reduces physical fatigue. In addition, people can be warned with reversing lights.
Summary of accidents when reversing with forklifts:
Causes:
Poor visibility of driving lanes due to inadequate lighting or obstacles
• Observation of the rear driving area only from the corner of the eye
• Inattention due to physical fatigue caused by poor ergonomic posture
Possible actions:
Using one 270 ° rear view camera by Griptech
• Use of the RadarEye by Griptech
• Rotating driver seats or driver cabs
• Use of reversing lights
• Sufficiently wide and illuminated traffic routes
• Regular instruction and training of drivers
Tilting the forklift
Unfortunately, in most cases a tipping forklift not only causes damage to property but also personal injury. It is therefore imperative to avoid this type of accident. Since 1988, all industrial trucks with a load capacity of up to 10 tonnes have had to be equipped with a suitable driver restraint system. The restraint systems include lap belts, driver's cabs with lockable doors and bar doors. Unfortunately, personal injuries still occur when the industrial truck tips over, as the restraint systems are often tampered with, as they are a hindrance when getting in and out frequently. Tipping is often caused by incorrect handling of the load, such as lifting loads from too high a height while driving or picking up loads that are too heavy. This can lead to tipping in combination with cornering too quickly or on uneven ground.
The forklift truck can be prevented from tipping over due to overloading. Overload warning system OLP from Griptech. This weighing system, which is protected and integrated into the forklift truck, provides both an acoustic and visual warning when a load is lifted that exceeds the vehicle's load capacity. In this way, Griptech can contribute to safety and prevent accidents caused by the forklift tipping over.
Summary Tilting the forklift
Causes:
- Overloading the forklift
- The load is raised too high for transport
- Cornering too fast
- Uneven ground
Possible actions:
- Use of the Overload warning system OLP by Griptech
- Active speed control systems (steering angle, lifting height)
- Regular instruction and training of drivers
Tipping of the load
When loading and unloading trucks or storing goods on shelves, the load can quickly tip over if it is not picked up correctly. In high-bay warehouses in particular, it can be difficult to position the pallet correctly at a height of several meters. Inappropriate forks can also be problematic here. Tipping and possible falling of the load can lead to personal injury as well as property damage.
In addition, the load can tip over if the goods are not secured properly on the load carrier. The heavy weight of the load can cause the forks to bend. If this is not correctly compensated by the inclination of the mast, there is a risk that the load will tip over and fall down.
Griptech offers a range of products that help reduce the risk of such accidents. Stabilizers can provide additional support for the load from above and thus prevent tipping. Griptech offers stabilizers in various designs for different applications, from stabilizers for narrow packages to those in combination with 360° rotating devices.
In addition, Griptech offers the KOOI®Reachforks which can be adjusted to the load by hydraulically extending and retracting the length to avoid tipping due to forks that are too short. KOOI® Deflection System offers a simple, retrofittable solution for controlling the fork tilt. The Deflection Sensor is attached to the forks or TeleKOOI forks in a protected manner and enables the mast tilt to be displayed on a smartphone or display via Bluetooth transmission. This display includes not only the tilt of the forks, but the entire tilt of the vehicle so that the driver can correct the angle.
In addition, the use of a camera system such as the GripView from Griptech, recommended, especially when working in high racks. This integrated camera in the fork allows the driver to drive safely into the entry pockets of the pallets or load carriers. The GripView significantly improves safety when storing and retrieving goods at high altitudes.
Summary Tipping of the load
Causes:
- Incorrectly picked up palette
- Forks too short
- Goods not properly secured on a load carrier
- Deflection of the forks
- Poor visibility when entering the pallet or when moving out of the pallet
Possible actions:
- Use of a Griptech stabilizer to secure the load
- use of KOOI®Reachforks from Griptech for the optimal length of the forks
- Using a camera system such as the GripView by Griptech
- Use of the KOOI®Deflection Systems by Griptech
- Regular instruction and training of drivers