Important tips for preventing a forklift accident on the job

Jun 8 2018      On Behalf of  David M. Duree & Associates, P.C.      Personal Injury

Suffering an injury on the job is never easy. You will need to be medically evaluated, complete a bunch of paperwork, file a report and then file for workers’ compensation. You could miss quite a bit of time at work or you could wind up never returning to work. It all depends on the severity of your injury. Here are some important tips for preventing a forklift accident on the job in Illinois.

Any employee who wishes to operate a forklift needs to go through proper training to become certified first. No employee should operate a forklift even for a brief moment if he or she is not properly trained and certified. This could lead to a very tragic accident.

Be sure that the forklift is not overloaded to the point where the load will fall off the forks when the machine is moving. All forklifts have a weight load maximum that must be followed in order for safe operation.

Operators of the forklift need to be on the lookout for pedestrians at all times, especially if they are utilizing a spotter. Should the operator no longer be able to see the spotter, the machine should be stopped immediately. Continuing to operate the forklift could lead to an accident.

The key to the forklift should never be left in it when it is unattended. This includes when the operator is on a break and at the end of the day. The key must be stored in a safe place and not in the machine.

It’s in your best interest to follow all of the safety policies put in place by your employer in O’Fallon. This will help to limit your chances of getting injured on the job in a forklift accident.

Source: Reliable Plant, “5 Tips for Preventing Forklift Accidents,” accessed June 01, 2018