What comes to mind when you think about the word safety?  Is it focusing on preventative measures, staying alert, or avoiding certain situations?  Safety can mean so many different things to each of us; each approach can also be different depending on the situation. 

When referencing forklift safety, there are typically a few primary focuses – the forklift truck, operator, and pedestrians.  For many in the industry, the first thoughts that probably come to mind running a safe operation might include:

• Consistent signage and early warnings
• Pedestrian right of ways
• Regular internal safety meetings and those regulated by OSHA
• Maintaining low speeds
• Clear internal communication signals for pedestrians and operators
• Properly maintained forklift trucks

If you thought of any of these ideas beforehand, you are on the right track to managing a safe operation.  But what if training and relying on all your employees to comply with those measures isn’t enough? 

Our post-pandemic world has caused a significant shift and strain on many of our businesses.  And with the rise of supply chain challenges and the dramatic increase in employee turnover, these shifting dynamics can lead to safety challenges.  Your organization may have thought of every possible risk or hazard an operator or pedestrian can encounter, but if those individuals are here today and gone tomorrow, how will you ensure the topic of safety penetrates your organization?  As business owners, leaders, and managers, we must ensure safety becomes a part of our culture – starting from the top down.  But along with that, we can also leverage technology that can support secure and productive operations.  Those tools include deploying automated guided vehicles, collision avoidance systems on manually operated trucks, and telematics.