Forklift safety operation and maintenance procedures are crucial for preventing accidents and ensuring a safe working environment. These procedures encompass risk assessment, operational guidelines, maintenance protocols, and emergency shutdown procedures.

A traffic management plan is important to minimize the risk of incidents by ensuring everyone's safety. When planning for traffic management, consult with the health and safety committee or representative, forklift operators, and workers (including pedestrians) in the area. After controls are in place, they must be regularly reviewed to ensure their effectiveness. [4]

Risk Assessment:

A hazard assessment should be performed to determine potential hazards and necessary controls. Factors specific to traffic control include:

• The flow of all traffic, including forklift and pedestrian traffic
• The tasks being performed, especially in areas with a higher potential for collisions
• The braking distance of forklifts when loaded, potential falling distances of loads, and factors affecting forklift stability
• The equipment and items used or stored in the area [4]

Safe Operation Procedures:

To ensure safe operation, only trained, certified, or licensed personnel should operate forklifts. Operators should be aware of the forklift's load limit and never exceed it. Before starting a shift, operators should perform visual and operational checks of the forklift and always use seat belts or operator restraint devices. They should also be familiar with the travel route, looking for obstructions or restrictions. [3] [3] [3] [3] [3] [3]

Maintenance Procedures:

Regular maintenance is essential for identifying and rectifying potential issues. Key steps include:

• Inspecting forks daily for distortions, cracks, and excessive oil or water. A thorough inspection should be performed every six months by a trained individual to check for deformations, failures, or damage.
• Checking fork blades and shanks for wear, especially at the heel.
• Ensuring the fork tips are at the same height, with a height difference not exceeding 3% of the blade length.
• Checking for cracks in the heel or hanger, using magnetic particle or dye penetrant tests for crack detection. [2] [2] [1] [1]

Emergency Shutdown Procedures:

While specific emergency shutdown procedures were not found in the provided documents, general safety practices suggest the following:

• In case of a malfunction, collision, or any unsafe condition, immediately stop the forklift.
• Set the parking brake to prevent any movement.
• Lower the forks to the ground.
• Turn off the power to the forklift.
• Report the incident to a supervisor immediately.