The Correct Way To Drive A Forklift Truck - A-SAFE

1. Training

Don’t even think about driving a forklift you are not trained to drive.  You should have a certificate for the right category, and have familiarisation training on the particular model, including any optional extras.

2. Protect your I.D.

If you are trained, and your company issues cards or key codes to qualified drivers, don’t lend your card or code to anyone else.  Remember that if they have an accident whilst using your ID, you will be the one who gets the blame.

3. Think about your environment

Don’t drive a gas or diesel truck where there is not enough ventilation and the emissions will cause a health hazard.  Also think about the product in the warehouse.  Don’t drive a gas truck if there is fresh baked bread in the area – it will make the bread taste of propane fumes and will not make you popular with whoever eats it.

4. Don’t try to “outwit” any safety features

For example, some trucks will sound an alarm if you drive off without fastening your seat belt.  Some drivers try to tighten up the seat belt, fasten it across the seat, then sit on top of it.  This obviously means that the seat belt is completely useless – and to have a buckle digging into certain parts of your anatomy will be pretty uncomfortable too.

5. Keep the vehicle safety equipment intact

Do not remove the backrest extension, overhead guard, or any other item of safety equipment

6. Think about potential risks

If you are using man-up equipment (sorry about the politically incorrect name) do not start your shift unless you know how you will get down in the event of mechanical failure, including what will happen in the event of fire.  Can you imagine being stuck 8 metres in the air on a high level order picker, and everyone else then leaves the building when the fire alarm goes off?  It may seem like a scene from a low budget disaster movie, but it could happen.

7. Ensure you are safe to load goods into vehicles

If you are driving your forklift into vehicles, don’t do so unless you are sure that the vehicle cannot be driven away.  There are various ways of achieving this, from taking away the driver’s keys (make sure he gives you the right ones and not those to a clapped out yard shunter his firm scrapped 2 years ago), to wheel clamps.  Accidents where a forklift falls between a trailer and a loading dock can be very nasty, and far too often fatal.

8. Inspect your forklift

Don’t start work until you have carried out a pre-use inspection of the forklift – you should be provided with an inspection record form, either a paper version or electronic equivalent. If you find a fault, report it to the supervisor, and get them to countersign the form.  If it is a serious fault, remove the keys from the truck and attach a danger flag.  Never remove a danger flag from a truck and start driving it just because the warehouse is getting busy – there is no point in having danger flags if people are going to do that.