Forklift Hits Maintenance Worker

A maintenance worker was crossing a yard on his way to a welding shop. He took a shortcut, walking behind a forklift that was on a ramp.

The forklift operator had stopped to check his load. The two men exchanged greetings and the maintenance worker continued on his way.

The driver then climbed aboard his forklift, did a mirror check and a visual check, and started to back up. The backup alarm on the forklift was activated. The driver’s first indication to a problem was when another forklift driver signaled him to stop. The forklift had run over the maintenance worker, crushing his head and killing him.

Forklift safety involves everyone, not just the operators. It is important that anyone who works around forklifts, or even occasionally visits a plant or a warehouse, be aware of the hazards posed by them. Many forklift incidents involve pedestrians. All of us should be aware of how important it is to stick to pedestrian walkways, and to be alert to moving equipment. Whether it be in a job procedure or just when taking a walk across a work area -this fatality is a sad example of the kind of fatality which can occur when an individual takes a shortcut.