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Powered Industrial Trucks   Powered Industrial Trucks
  Hazards and Solutions

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) investigations of forklift-related deaths indicate that many workers and employers may not be aware of the risks of operating or working near forklifts and are not following the procedures set forth in OSHA standards, consensus standards, or equipment manufacturer's guidelines. Generally, reducing the risk of forklift incidents requires comprehensive worker training, systematic traffic management, a safe work environment, a safe forklift, and safe work practices. The following references aid in recognizing and controlling some of the hazards associated with powered industrial trucks (PIT).

Potential Hazards Case Studies Possible Solutions
  • Protecting Young Workers: Prohibition Against Young Workers Operating Forklifts. OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB) 03-09-30, (2003, September 30). Informs employers that youth employment regulations (29 CFR 570) promulgated under the Fair Labor Standards Act prohibit most employees under the age of 18 years from operating forklifts for non-agricultural operations and reminds employers that all forklift operators must be trained and certified.
  • Preventing Injuries and Deaths of Workers Who Operate or Work Near Forklifts. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Publication No. 2001-109, (2001, June). Includes information on forklift fatality data, current standards, case reports, recommendations, and instructs workers in the steps they can take to protect themselves. 
  • Departmentwide Program Evaluation of the Hazardous Materials Transportation Programs: Final Report. US Department of Transportation (DOT), (2000, March), 297 KB PDF, 172 pages.
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  Powered Industrial Trucks
  OSHA Standards
  Other Federal Standards
  National Consensus Standards
  Hazards and Solutions
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Content Reviewed 07/12/2005
 
 

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