![]() ![]() Jerky motion or sudden heavy braking may affect the forklift stability and throw the load off your forks. The risk is even higher when combined with surface hazards, slopes or a raised load. Excessive speed is one of the commonest causes of forklift truck overturns. Never stack or de-stack loads on an incline. When travelling without a load, go forward rather than in reverse. In other words, your forks should be in front of you while going up and behind you while going down. When driving up or down a slope, keep your load uphill from you so it doesn’t slide off. If slopes are unavoidable, drive slowly and don’t turn the forklift truck whilst on them. One extra tip: when crossing railway tracks or kerbs, a diagonal approach is best.Īvoid steep ramps if you can. Is there oil, grease, ice, water, mud or anything else on which it might slip? Is there a risk of the forklift’s wheels sinking into soft ground? Is the floor bumpy or uneven? Are there kerbs, steps, large bumps or other obstacles to negotiate? Each of these conditions can throw a truck off balance, affecting the forklift’s stability, so slow down and proceed with extra caution. When manoeuvring a load into position at height, you should move at creep speed.īefore operating a forklift truck across a work site, make sure you are aware of any surface hazards. It is also best materials handling practice to lower the forks whenever the truck is parked. Keep your forks and load within 150 mm of the floor when travelling, and tilt the mast fully backwards. ![]() Lower your speed, make all driving actions smooth, and carry less than the normal rated capacity.ĭriving with a raised load makes your forklift much less stable, as its centre of gravity becomes dangerously high and the forklift safety is jeopardised. ![]() Insufficiently supported or hastily transported wide loads will similarly ‘rock’ the forklift truck. They include freely suspended loads and liquids in partly filled containers, both of which will rapidly shift their weight from one direction to another if moved abruptly. Most loads are fairly ‘inactive’, but you should be especially careful with those whose behaviour can affect the forklift stability. ![]() Bear in mind that the rated capacity will be reduced when making high lifts or when using certain attachments. Stay within the forklift truck’s load capacity. It should be set back firmly against the load backrest or to the rear of the forks. To ensure forklift safety, spread the load evenly and never lift it with just one fork. So, how can forklift overturns be prevented? Here are ten top tips to keep your load on the truck and your forklift’s wheels on the floor… However, even a relatively small forklift stability-related incident can be enough to make a forklift shed its load – endangering nearby workers and ruining valuable goods. The following guidelines focus on a single factor involved in many materials handling and logistics accidents: forklift stability.Īt its extreme, loss of balance in a forklift truck can cause it to overturn – sometimes resulting in the driver’s death, or life-changing injury, and always generating substantial danger and damage. How can forklift overturns and load spillages be prevented to improve forklift safety? Here’s how!Īt Cat° Lift Trucks, we believe in regularly reviewing and reinforcing the principles of safe forklift operator behaviour, to help embed them in our industry’s culture. ![]()
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