Industrial Truck Association
National Forklift Safety Day Remarks

- As Prepared for Delivery -

Assistant Secretary Dave Keeling
Tuesday, June 9, 2026
National Press Club, Washington, DC

OPENING

Good morning. Thank you for that kind introduction. And thank you for the invitation to join you today. I’m happy to be participating in my first National Forklift Safety Day to talk about the importance of forklift safety practices.

I’ve spent more than 30 years working in workplace health and safety, and it’s a responsibility I’ve carried with me every step of the way. Most recently, I oversaw global transportation safety at Amazon until my retirement in 2023, and before that, I led global health and safety efforts at UPS. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work alongside dedicated professionals across industries, some of whom may be in this room today. I’ve also been a long-standing member of organizations like the National Safety Council and the American Society of Safety Professionals, which have helped shape and strengthen this field. But more than titles or roles, what has always driven me is a deep commitment to preventing incidents before they happen. I believe that ensuring every worker goes home safely starts with awareness, strong collaboration, and a shared responsibility to do better every day. Now, at OSHA, I have the privilege of continuing that work on behalf of the Administration and workers across the country. And I’m truly glad to be here with you today, because this is work, we only can do together and work that matters.

SHMS AND OPERATOR TRAINING

While there has been meaningful progress in reducing forklift-related hazards, the data reminds us that our work is far from finished.

According to the latest BLS data, 84 workers lost their lives in incidents involving forklifts and other powered industrial trucks in 2024. Every one of those fatalities represents a worker who did not make it home safely at the end of the day. And in fiscal year 2025, OSHA’s Powered Industrial Truck Standard remained one of the most frequently cited – ranking eighth across all industries.

These incidents reinforce a lesson we all know – that effective operator training and strong safety and health management systems are critical to preventing injuries and saving lives. Training operators to recognize hazards, follow safe operating procedures, and respond to changing workplace conditions remains one of the most important investments employers can make.

But training alone is not enough. We are also looking at moving beyond simply measuring outcomes and reporting scores. The future of workplace safety lies in using predictive analytics and leading indicators to identify risks earlier and address them before they result in injuries, illnesses, or fatalities. By expanding on what we already know and leveraging better data, we can take action before an incident occurs rather than after.

This approach aligns with the core principles of effective Safety and Health Management Systems. Strong SHMS programs help organizations systematically identify hazards, engage workers, improve decision-making, and drive continuous improvement across all levels of an organization.

For too long, safety has existed in a silo. The reality is that safety culture is not separate from organizational culture, it is part of it. The question for all of us is how we make safety and health part of the way our organizations think, act, and make decisions every day. When safety and health are fully integrated into business operations, they become part of the culture rather than another program to manage.

As forklift manufacturers and suppliers, you are uniquely positioned to help shape that future. Through equipment innovation, operator training resources, technology, and partnerships across industry, you can help organizations strengthen their safety and health management systems, improve hazard recognition, and build workplaces where workers can thrive and your business succeeds.

We have a common interest in moving from reacting to incidents to preventing them. It’s why we are here this morning; because we all want to ensure that every worker goes home safely at the end of the day.

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AND COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE

The good news is that many of the tools needed to make that vision a reality are already emerging. From advanced safety technologies to data-driven compliance solutions, innovation is transforming how we identify risks, prevent injuries, and protect workers.

As this industry continues to evolve through automation and emerging technologies, our approach to safety has to evolve as well. I’m glad to see all the work being done to provide training and resources on unmanned powered industrial trucks. That’s exactly the kind of forward-thinking approach that’s needed as worksites become more complex.

And this isn’t just about protecting the person operating the equipment. It’s about protecting everyone who works around it. Safety has to be built into every aspect of the workplace and every interaction with these technologies.

One of the best ways we can make progress together is through compliance assistance. Providing employers with practical tools, resources, and guidance is an important part of helping businesses create safer workplaces.

That’s why OSHA launched the OSHA CARES initiative earlier this year. OSHA CARES is about helping businesses meet workplace safety requirements while also building strong, sustainable safety and health programs that benefit both employers and workers.

Through OSHA CARES, we’re emphasizing something important: OSHA is not just here to enforce the law. We’re also here to help. We want employers to know that they can come to us for guidance, resources, and assistance before problems arise.

We’re working to expand access to compliance assistance, improve educational materials, provide more real-time support during inspections, and make it easier for employers to connect with OSHA when they need help. We want businesses, especially small and medium-sized employers, who often face unique challenges—to see OSHA as a resource and a partner in safety.

At the end of the day, our goal is simple: making sure workers go home safe and healthy after every shift.

That requires commitment from leadership, engagement from workers, and collaboration across the entire industry. When barriers to safety are removed and support comes from the top down, organizations are better positioned not only to meet safety requirements, but to build stronger, more successful safety cultures.

As an agency, we’re taking a balanced approach that recognizes the value of partnerships and compliance assistance alongside traditional enforcement. When employers share best practices and lead by example, everyone benefits. The entire industry becomes safer and stronger.

And that’s why your role is so important. The impact you have extends far beyond the equipment you manufacture. You help shape safety culture across countless workplaces and industries. Through the products you develop, the training you provide, and the standards you promote, you influence how safety is managed, communicated, and lived every day.

We value the opportunity to work alongside you, listen to your ideas and concerns, and continue building stronger collaboration. We want to provide employers and workers with the tools, knowledge, and support they need to strengthen their safety and health programs and achieve lasting improvements in workplace safety and health.

CURRENT OSHA INITIATIVES

To support that goal, OSHA is focused on meeting employers where they are and providing practical pathways to safer and healthier workplaces.

We recognize that every business is at a different stage in its safety and health journey. Some employers are just beginning to build formal programs, while others are looking for ways to strengthen and enhance systems they already have in place. Our role is to provide resources, guidance, and opportunities that help employers continue moving forward.

That philosophy is reflected across all of OSHA’s cooperative programs. From our On-Site Consultation Program, which provides no-cost assistance to small and medium-sized businesses, to the Voluntary Protection Programs, which recognize exemplary safety and health management systems, these efforts are designed to help employers build a culture of prevention before injuries occur.

We are placing renewed emphasis on expanding participation in VPP because we believe more workplaces—regardless of industry, size, or level of experience—can benefit from engaging with OSHA and learning from one another. VPP demonstrates what is possible when employers and workers work together to create strong safety and health programs and expanding that model strengthens workplace safety far beyond individual sites.

That same commitment to continuous improvement is what inspired OSHA’s Safety Champions Program that we launched in March. The program is built around a simple idea of helping businesses take the next step, wherever they may be today.

Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, Safety Champions provides a structured pathway based on the seven core elements of OSHA’s Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs.

Participants can progress through introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels, while receiving support from experienced safety mentors who provide practical guidance, tools, and real-world expertise. The focus is not on checking boxes, it is on helping employers make meaningful improvements that prevent injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

Supporting employers also means providing clear and accessible compliance assistance. That is why, as you know, OSHA put renewed emphasis on Letters of Interpretation as an important tool for helping employers and workers understand how OSHA standards, regulations, and the OSH Act apply in specific workplace situations. Since 2025, we’ve issued 17 LOIs including important topics on lithium-ion battery safety and noise prevention.

Compliance can be complex, and we are committed to providing clarity, so employers can make informed decisions and protect their workers.

We are also continuing our efforts to address emerging and ongoing workplace hazards, including hazardous heat exposure in both indoor and outdoor work environments. Through outreach and education, OSHA remains committed to helping employers identify risks and implement effective protections to prevent heat illness.

In addition, OSHA’s national awareness campaigns provide another way for employers to strengthen their safety and health efforts. One example is our Safe + Sound Week campaign, which will take place August 10-16 and will focus this year on recognizing successes. Employers can also participate in the Trench Safety Stand Down from June 15-19 to reinforce safe excavation practices. Workplaces with forklift operations can use stand-down activities to emphasize operator training, inspections, pedestrian safety, and prevent struck-by and tip-over incidents.

We appreciate the involvement that organizations like ITA have shown in the past and hope you will help us spread the word and participate again this year.

Our commitment to meeting employers where they are also extends to enforcement and penalty policies. OSHA’s objective is not simply to issue citations. It is to prevent injuries and ensure hazards are corrected as quickly as possible.

With that goal in mind, we updated our penalty and debt collection procedures to place greater emphasis on prompt hazard correction and good-faith compliance efforts. We expanded penalty reductions for small employers, including extending the maximum 70 percent reduction to businesses with up to 25 employees. We also introduced additional reductions for employers who immediately take action to address identified hazards.

Small businesses that are making sincere efforts to comply with complex federal requirements should not be treated the same as large organizations with significantly greater resources. By providing greater flexibility for small employers while maintaining accountability, we are helping businesses invest in safer workplaces, protect their employees, and strengthen the communities and industries they serve.

Ultimately, whether through consultation, cooperative programs, compliance assistance, awareness campaigns, or enforcement policies, OSHA’s approach is about helping employers and workers work together to prevent injuries, save lives, and ensure every worker returns home the same way they came.

REGULATORY EFFORTS

Another important part of our work that some of you may be interested in is determining the Administration’s regulatory and deregulatory priorities.

As you know, our latest regulatory agenda outlines priority actions we’re taking to reduce unnecessary burdens, modernize rules, and prioritize clarity and efficiency so that workers remain protected on the job.

I know you may have questions about the heat rule. We continue to examine how to establish standards specifically related to heat injury and illness prevention.

Last month, the compliance dates began for our update to the Hazard Communication Standard final rulemaking. The standard is aimed at improving classification labels and safety data sheets for better worker protection.

We are working on lockout/tagout, and we are looking very closely at the ANSI standard as a potential approach.

Recently, we published a proposed rule removing the 2036 deadline for upgrading existing fixed ladders with fall protection. This allows employers more flexibility to update them at the end of their service life – while maintaining the requirement that all new ladders include safety systems.

While we work on OSHA’s regulatory agenda, stakeholder feedback is vital in creating clear and efficient standards that meet today’s modern workforce.

As part of the President’s Executive Order directing the agency to reduce regulatory burden and modernize regulations, OSHA has proposed 25 different actions and is currently working through the public notice and comment process on each of them.

OSHA and the Labor Department are committed to helping this Administration implement a bold regulatory agenda that focuses on flexibility, transparency, and modernization.

MENTAL WELLBEING

Before I close, I would like to touch on another equally important aspect of workplace safety that doesn’t always get enough attention: mental health.

We recognize that some hazards aren’t always visible. There is a critical layer of safety that sometimes gets overlooked. A lack of psychological safety can contribute to stress, anxiety, and burnout.

Mental health is just as important as physical safety, especially in industries like forklift operations and manufacturing, where workers operate heavy equipment, perform repetitive tasks, and make important decisions every day.

These fast-paced environments depend on focus, communication, and teamwork. That’s why it’s important to create workplaces where people feel comfortable speaking up, sharing concerns, and looking out for one another.

Supporting mental well-being is a critical part of workplace safety. When workers feel supported, they’re better equipped to stay engaged, make sound decisions, and help prevent incidents before they happen. Investing in mental health isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s good for workers and good for business.

CLOSING

As I close, I’d like to leave you with a question I often ask my staff: What did you leave them with?

At OSHA, we want every interaction—whether it’s an inspection, meeting, or conversation—to leave an employer better informed, better prepared, and better equipped to keep workers safe.

Safety doesn’t stop at the workplace. It’s part of the culture we build every day. Whether you’re leading a business, supporting the industry, or looking out for your family at home, your role matters.

Good safety practices are good business practices. Injuries and fatalities are not inevitable, they are preventable. By listening, learning, and working together, we can continue making workplaces safer.

But we can’t do it alone. We need your partnership, your ideas, and your commitment. Together we can make safety more than a priority – it can be a shared value. Because when workers are safe, families are stronger, businesses are stronger, and more people finish the workday safely.

I look forward to future collaboration. Again, thank you.

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