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Chapter : Forklift Safety 

Forklift Workers & Maintenance Safety

A forklift, also known as fork truck, is a motor-driven industrial truck used for lifting and moving goods on a pallet within the premises of a warehouse, storage facilities and distribution centre. Depending on the design, some Forklifts allow the operators to sit while driving or operating the machine.

When it comes to forklift safety, a lot of emphasis is placed on operators and their training. But maintenance is also critical to forklift safety—and workers who perform forklift repairs and maintenance face hazards that must be addressed with worker training and attention to the work environment.

Only “authorized” persons may make repairs to and perform maintenance on forklifts. A worker’s authorization may be only for a specific task, such as refueling or battery replacement. Training requirements for workers who perform forklift maintenance are found in the Powered Industrial Trucks. 

Training for Forklift Maintenance Workers

• Fuel handling and storage. Workers must know how to properly handle and store fuels. Specifically:
• Liquid fuels (gasoline and diesel fuel) must be stored and handled in accordance with NFPA Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code.
• Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fuel must be stored and handled in accordance with NFPA Storage and Handling of Liquefied Petroleum Gases.
• Changing and charging storage batteries. Workers who change and charge storage batteries must know:
• To properly position trucks and apply brakes, before attempting to change or charge batteries;
• Not to pour water into acid;
• To assure that vent caps are functioning and that battery (or compartment) cover(s) are open to dissipate heat;
• Not to smoke in the charging area;
• To take precautions against open flames, sparks, or electric arcs in battery charging areas; and
• To keep tools and other metallic objects away from the top of uncovered batteries.
• Maintenance of Industrial Trucks. Forklift maintenance workers should know, at a minimum:
• To repair the fuel and ignition systems of industrial trucks only in locations designated for such repairs;
• To disconnect the batteries of trucks before repairing electrical systems;
• To only use replacement parts that are equivalent with respect to safety to the truck’s original parts;
• Not to alter industrial trucks so that the relative positions of the various parts are different from what they were originally;
• Not to add extra parts not provided by the manufacturer without the manufacturer’s approval; and
• Not to eliminate parts without manufacturer’s approval.

Identifying Maintenance Issues

There are two ways to identify a forklift that is in need of maintenance.

• Daily inspections. Forklift operators are required to inspect forklifts before each shift, for forklifts that are in continuous use. These daily inspections are supposed to identify issues that require attention.
• Malfunctions during use. Sometimes an issue arises while the forklift is in use—the forklift may overheat or dramatically malfunction (sparks or flames coming from the exhaust are one possible example).

Make sure that operators who have identified a potential safety issue with a forklift know to take it out of service immediately until it is repaired.

Additional Training for Forklift Maintenance Workers

Some topics are specific to forklifts, but other forklift maintenance hazards are covered by different standards. Employees who are exposed to these hazards while working on forklifts may require additional training for following hazards:

• Exhaust hazards. Workers should know how to use adequate ventilation to protect themselves against gasoline, diesel, or LPG exhaust.
• Hazardous energy. Maintenance workers should keep control of the forklift’s ignition key while they work. Also, they should disconnect the battery before working on the electrical system. Blocking raised parts and elevated equipment are another topic they may need training.
• Wheel hazards. Workers who service forklift wheels may need training Servicing Single-Piece and Multi-Piece Rim Wheels.
• Asbestos. During brake and clutch repairs, workers may be exposed to asbestos.
• Compressed gases. LPG is a compressed gas. Compressed gas hazards are Hazardous Materials.
• Eye, face, hand, and body hazards. To protect against some chemical exposures, cut and abrasion hazards, and falling object hazards, workers may need PPE 
• Fire hazards. Because maintenance work may involve fire hazards, workers should know how to use a fire extinguisher.
• Welding hazards. If repairs involve welding operations, workers will need training and certified for Welding, Cutting and Brazing work.

Work Locations

Forklift repairs must take place in locations that are specifically designed to perform the necessary tasks safely. Make sure that workers have:

• A location free of fire hazards. Repairing forklifts in hazardous (Class I, II, or III) locations. In particular, repairs to the fuel or ignition system of a forklift may only be made in an area with no uncontrolled fire hazards.
• Emergency equipment. Because forklift repairs can involve fire hazards, fire extinguishers must be provided. Because liquid chemical hazards may be present, emergency eyewashes and showers must also be located in the work area.

Forklift training requirements are extensive, and it can be confusing to try to figure out exactly which requirements apply to which workers.