Guest post: Kyle Thill, Toyota-Lift of Minnesota, Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, United States
The quick answer is to wear your seat belt, and brace yourself INSIDE the overhead guard. Avoid the urge to jump to safety.
There are many ways you can tip the forklift you are operating. This list includes most of the obvious ways:
- Turning at a high speed
- Turning with an elevated load
- Turning on an incline
- Driving over obstacles
- Driving into potholes
- Lifting a load while sideways on a slope
- Lifting a load off centre
- Overloading
- Undercutting (Extended load centre)
- Lifting with forward tilt on the mast
- Harsh accelerating/braking
- Rough use of the hydraulic controls
- Travelling the wrong way on a slope
It is extremely beneficial when tipping you have two things going for you. Number one is you are wearing your seat belt. You know that odd rule your place of business has, they're so inconvenient. Secondly you stay in the cab or overhead guard, do not try to "jump to safety", the consequences are often fatal.
Make sure you talk with your workers on reducing the risk of tipping the forklift as part of your regular consultation process and risk management.
A quick point, in the video the link brings you to, you will see it is a Toyota forklift involved in the accident. Despite the SAS System the unit has, the operator drove over an obstacle [the raised edge on the ramp] that could not be overcome by the system.
Follow us Toyota Lift of Minnesota on facebook and on Twitter @toyotaequipment. Toyota-Lift of Minnesota is a full service lift truck dealership representing Toyota forklifts and Taylor-Dunn Equipment in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.
Related Toolbox Talks
- Forklift - General safety tips
- Forklift - Getting on and off safely
- Forklift - Reduce the risks of tipping
- Forklift - Parking safely
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