HAZARD
Cherie Berry, Commissioner of Labor
1- 800- 625- 2267 www. nclabor. com
The N. C. Department of Labor investigated 11 workplace
accidents involving mechanized equipment in 2007. Of those
11 accidents, eight were fatal. One of the nonfatal accidents
resulted in the partial amputation of a worker’s leg. Some
summaries:
Fatality: An airline worker was pinned between a baggage
tug and the bottom of an aircraft.
Fatality: A forklift operator was pinned between the back of
a stand- up order picker forklift and a wall.
Fatality: A forklift slid off the road, down an embankment,
overturned, and crushed the operator.
Fatality: A mower operator was pinned between the mower
and a trailer after apparently losing control while
mowing on a steep bank.
Fatality: Aworker was struck by a tractor trailer while walking
toward his vehicle.
Accident: While backing out of an aisle, a forklift operator
ran into a steel I- beam, amputating his left lower leg.
Workers who operate or work around forklifts, mowers or
other vehicles are at risk of injury from vehicle rollover or
being struck by the vehicle or its components. Injuries and deaths
can be prevented through wider use of rollover protective
structures ( ROPS) and seat belts on forklifts, tractors and similar
equipment. Additionally, employers should require compre-hensive
operator training and should also establish and
enforce thorough, site- specific safety plans.
Since 1992, forklift manufacturers have been required to
equip newly manufactured sit- down type forklifts with operator
restraint systems. Many forklift manufacturers offer restraint
systems that can be retrofitted onto older equipment. Fatalities
resulting from overturns of sit- down type forklifts could be
prevented if the operators were required to wear seatbelts or
use other restraint systems.
Crushing injuries are the most common vehicle injuries, but
amputations are also common. Knowing where vehicles operate
and knowing that they only operate in the assigned areas will
keep other workers safe. Anywhere there are vehicles and
mechanized equipment in use, a detailed site- specific plan is
necessary. All employees should regularly review the plan.
Some good ideas where vehicles and mechanized equipment
are used include:
Keep brakes and brake lights in good working condition.
Block and chock on hills as needed.
Keep lights working.
Use seats and seat belts.
Inspect all vehicles before use.
Operating problems such as excessive speed, poor loading
and carrying unauthorized passengers, in addition to poor
truck maintenance, have the potential to cause accidents.
Fatal accidents have occurred due to forklift turnover and
running off loading docks. Workers have died when pinned
between objects, struck by material, struck by forklifts, falling
from the forklift and during forklift repair.
Unfortunately, most employee injuries and property damage
can be attributed to lack of safe operating procedures, lack of
safety- rule enforcement, and insufficient or inadequate training.
Supervisors and vehicle operators must know the vehicle limits
and the operating environment to avoid accidents and fatalities.
Division of Occupational Safety and Health
1101 Mail Service Center; Raleigh, NC 27699- 1101
Working With or Near Mechanized Equipment Can Be Deadly
Overturned forklift resulted in fatality.
The enclosed checklist is a guide for you to tailor and
expand, depending on the conditions at your facility. Consider if
vehicles in your workplace operate where there are hazards such
as rough, uneven or sloped surfaces; unusual loads; hazardous
areas; narrow aisles; blind spots; intersections; and pedestrian
traffic or employees working close to the path of travel.
This checklist is for your use. Feel free to copy and laminate
it as needed.
Vehicle and Equipment
Operator Checklist
Vehicles
ROPS correctly installed
Seat belts installed and in serviceable condition
Manufacturer’s safety features operating as required
Manufacturer’s warning labels installed and legible
Controls labeled
Attachments installed according to manufacturer’s
specifications
Operators
Training on specific type of equipment is current
Familiar with site plan and vehicle operations area
Visual equipment check satisfactorily completed before
starting equipment
Operational check completed before placing equipment
in service
Knowledgeable of manufacturer’s specifications and
recommendations
Aware of intersections and other blind corners in
work environment
Equipment in Operation
Check work areas for workers on foot before moving
the machine
Use spotters or barriers where necessary
Know equipment’s blind spots
Knowledgeable of the hazards while operating
machinery on unlevel surfaces
Competent person continuously evaluating grades
Seat belts worn continuously while equipment is in
operation
Continually evaluate safety programs to address
changing conditions at the worksite.
Other Site Workers Checklist
Trained to recognize and avoid unsafe conditions
Knowledgeable of safe work practices that apply to
their work environments
Required to adhere to established safe work practices
Aware of intersections and other blind corners in
work environment
Horns, audible backup alarms, flashing lights used to
warn workers and other vehicle operators in the area
Spotters or signal persons used around operating
equipment when necessary
Appropriate personal protective equipment provided
and workers trained and required to use it properly
and maintain it
General
Aware of intersections and other blind corners in
work environment
Separate vehicle traffic from workers where possible
Restrict the use of vehicles:
Near time clocks
Near break rooms
Near cafeterias
Near main exits when the flow of workers on
foot is at a peak ( such as at the end of a shift
or during break)
Physical barriers installed to ensure that work
stations are isolated from vehicle traffic
For more information, contact our Education, Training and Technical
Assistance Bureau at ( 919) 807- 2875.
Printed 3/ 08
1,100 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $ 102.40 or $. 10 per copy.
Forklift driven off loading dock.
N. C. Department of Labor
