Forklift Features That Keep Us Safe

Just imagine you’re whipping through the warehouse on your forklift, everything’s going great, and you’re getting things done! Then all of a sudden…eeek, you’re forced to make an emergency stop, and your forklift slowly starts tilting to the side, your mind starts racing…what do you do?! Forklifts are massive pieces of machinery, they generally weigh anywhere between 5,000-9,000 pounds! While knowing how to properly and cautiously drive a forklift can help to prevent accidents forklifts also come equipped with some safety features that can help you along the way!

How Much Do You Know?

1.     Forklifts have the potential to be incredibly dangerous.

a.     True

b.     False

2.     About how many forklift accidents occur each year?            

a.     10,000

b.     50,000

c.     100,000

3.     The ________ is/are an underrated safety feature.

a.     Brakes

b.     Horn

c.     Headlights

4.     Do forklifts come equipped with seat belts?

a.     Yes

b.     No

c.   Sometimes

Get This…

It’s no mystery that forklifts are massive pieces of machinery. Due to their weight and structure forklifts are prone to overturning and tipping over; this is the leading cause of death in involving forklifts. Because of this it is incredibly important to take proper safety precautions. Many forklift operators attempt to jump when their forklift is tipping over. This is never a good idea. More often than not people will get trapped under forklifts when trying to jump. Operators should remain seated in the event of a turnover. Although many operators prefer not to wear a seat belt this is an instance where the use of a seat belt would be beneficial and even lifesaving!

                                                                                                                  

         Can You Answer This Question???

In the event that an item falls on the overhead guard of your forklift you should…

     A.    Jump from the forklift

     B.    Remain seated

     If an overhead load is to fall on your forklift it is always a good idea to remain seated in the forklift (B). Overhead guards are put in place specifically to protect forklift operators from falling objects. However, overhead guards are not necessarily built to withstand the fall of a full capacity load. Because of this they are designed to “crush and deflect,” meaning that if the impact of a load is too heavy the leg of the overhead guard that experiences the biggest impact will crush and deflect the load to the side of the forklift. This is why it is important to remain seated in the event of falling objects.

Get The Facts!

Did you know that an average sized forklift weighs as much as a dump truck?! That’s huge! Can you imagine trying to stop a dump truck? Due to the weight of forklifts and the weight of the materials they carry it takes them longer to stop than a regular vehicle. Trying to stop a forklift in an emergency can be difficult and coming to too quick of a stop can cause forklifts to tip over. This is something that is important for forklift operators and pedestrians to be aware of. One thing that can reduce the likelihood of an operators need to come to an emergency stop is the use of speed limits in warehouses. There are times when emergency stops are inevitable; however, forklifts do come equipped with a wonderful safety feature that is often times underutilized, the horn. Using the horn when you are backing up, entering isle ways, or around pedestrians is a great way to prevent emergency stops as well as accidents!

…So Call

For any questions or concerns regarding your material handling needs give us a call at (513) 842-2012 or e-mail us at omega.rockett@yahoo.com! And don’t forget to keep an eye out for our next blog!

                         

A World Without Forklifts

Just imagine a world without forklifts? Nearly everything we purchase and consume has been touched by a forklift at some point. When you think about it forklifts are consistently taken for granted. But do you ever find yourself wondering why forklifts were invented in the first place? Well, read on to find out!  

How Much Do You Know?

1.     What year was the first forklift created?

a.     1910

b.     1917

c.     1925

2.     What was the first forklift called?                                             

a.     Tructractor

b.     Lift truck

c.     Liftractor

3.     Who is credited with introducing the first forklift?

a.     Baker

b.     Yale

c.     Clark

Get This…

The first forklift was created in 1917 and made for sale in 1918. Clark, which is still a reputable forklift manufacturer is often credited with this invention. The first forklift was not much of a forklift at all. It was called a tructractor and didn’t even utilize forks! However, it was used to haul wooden crates and other materials by setting them on the front of the truck. There were a select few companies interested in the tructractor for personal use, but what really caused the tructractor to gain popularity was WW1, where it was used to transport heavy materials such as guns and explosives.

 

Can You Answer This Question???

How many wheels did the tructractor have?

A.    2

B.    3

C.    4

The tructractor had a similar steering strategy as a modern-day forklift. The tructractor did however only have three wheels, but still utilized rear wheel drive. Only having three wheels allowed the tructractor to make tighter turns. The only issue with steering the tructractor is that it went in the opposite direction as the wheel was turned, causing confusion for many operators.

 Get The Facts!

As time went on more and more people saw an opportunity in forklift manufacturing. While new, and foreign manufacturers have occupied the forklift industry most of the original manufacturers still persist in today’s world of forklifts like, Clark, Hyster, and Crown. Even in today’s society forklifts are evolving and changing. New technologies have allowed forklifts to be incredibly productive and precise and will continue to be ever evolving. 

…So Call

For any questions on modern-day forklifts give us a call (513)842-2012, or send us an E-mail: Omega.rockett@yahoo.com 

Prevent Problems with Pedestrians

“It’s ok, there’s plenty of space, that forklift will see me and stop.”

Have you ever felt this way, or have you ever heard other people say things like this? I know I have! Forklifts and proper safety procedures go hand in hand. However, there is the occasion where an accident may occur that the forklift operator is not necessarily at fault for. These accidents typically involve pedestrians and can cause numerous problems for companies and all parties involved.

 

How Much Do You Know?

1.     ______ percent of forklift accidents involve pedestrians.

a.     75

b.     50

c.     25

d.     20

2.     It is acceptable to give pedestrians and other personnel occasional rides on a forklift.

a.     True

b.     False

3.     One main cause of forklift/pedestrian accidents is because…

a.     The pedestrian does not hear the truck.

b.     The pedestrian does not see the truck.

c.     The pedestrian gets too close to the truck.

d.     All of the above

4.     Similar to a car forklifts have blind spots.

a.     True

b.     False

Get This…

There are roughly 100,000 forklift accidents per year! Yes, nearly 100,000! Many of these accidents occur through operator error, but sometimes accidents are caused by the surrounding environment. With that said, it does not make these types of accidents acceptable. Often times these types of accidents involve pedestrians. Due to the weight of a forklift accidents involving pedestrians can cause serious injury, and can even be fatal! It’s a good idea to take precautionary measures to ensure that forklift/pedestrian accidents are limited, or in ideal situations avoided completely. Here are some ideas on keeping pedestrians out of harm:

1.     First and foremost, have drivers yield to pedestrians.

2.     Make use of the horn! This can warn pedestrians of a forklift in use.

3.     Use a spotter in circumstances where the operator's vision is impaired.

4.     Absolutely never allow pedestrians to stand or walk under a forklift.

5.     Clearly mark and block off areas where the forklift will be in use. Blocking the next isle over is imperative in case anything is pushed off of shelving.  

 

Can You Answer This Question???

Does OSHA require forklift/pedestrian training specifically?

a.     Yes

b.     No

OSHA does not require forklift/pedestrian safety to be specifically taught to operators. However, OSHA does require that employers take precautions to keep pedestrians safe around forklifts and other heavy machinery. With this said forklift accidents involving pedestrians make up 20% of all accidents. In conclusion, it is never a bad idea to require your forklift operators to go through a safety course highlighting pedestrian related issues. 

Get The Facts!

People die from forklift accidents every day! Passerby’s are not the only people who fall victim to forklift accidents. In fact, many people who are injured by forklifts know the risks and even know how to operate a forklift! This seems shocking right?! Well much of this is incredibly preventable and is caused by forklift operators giving their friends rides! OSHA prohibits any passengers from riding on forklifts. This means no passengers inside the forklift, or riding on its forks. Also remember, if passengers are being lifted make sure that you are using specialized equipment! What not to do is pictured below.

…So Call

If you’re interested in more information on driver training for your future forklift operators give us a call! We will come to your facility to perform the class, and provide picture IDs for all your newly certified operators! For any additional questions or concerns contact us at (513) 842-2012, or omega.rockett@yahoo.com!  

New Year, New Business Strategies

With a new year comes new responsibilities and opportunities. From a business perspective the beginning of a new year is a great time to assess and implement changes that may need to be made to your company. So let’s take a look at how to start the new year off right!

How Much Do You Know?

1.     It’s a good idea to review your past year before planning your new year.

a.     True

b.     False

2.     Most small business owners are unable to…

a.     Delegate work

b.     Get focused after the holidays

c.     Keep employees

3.     Making ___________ a weekly event can be vital to business success.

a.     Customer reviews

b.     Planning

c.     Employee complaints

4.     It can be beneficial to set _______ goals.

a.     High

b.     Realistic

c.     Low

Get This…

Many businesses can’t tell you where their performance level is. Especially in the realm of finances. The problem with this is that you don’t know if you’re making progress if you don’t know where you are starting from. That’s why beginning the year by reviewing the past year is always a good idea! If you have a growing business looking into a CRM software (customer relationship management) to help manage your finances could be a good decision. For tips on choosing a CRM that fits your business use this link: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7838-choosing-crm-software.html

For a couple more quick tips on managing your business's finances check out this website!

https://succeedasyourownboss.com/6-tips-managing-small-business-finances/

Can You Answer This Question???

About ________ percent of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation.

A.    74

B.    84

C.    87

At one point in time people went to their neighbors for reviews and recommendations on companies and appliances. Nowadays more people are using the internet for their reviews, and it is shown that about 85% (B) of people trust online reviews as much as friend and family recommendations. This has the potential to be detrimental to a business, but why not take these online reviews and spin them into a positive? 

Get The Facts!

Another thing that can easily be overlooked in a business is promotion and advertising. There are so many ways to advertise that it can be tricky to decide what is best for your company. Here are some low-cost ideas for advertising your business:

1.     Promote through communication: Whenever you communicate via e-mail, mail, ect. include your business name, logo, and contact information. You can even add links on Facebook and other social media sites so that viewers and recipients can contact you!

2.     Promote through social media: Use all forms of social media to get the word out about your business and special offers.

3.     Write to promote your business: Getting articles published in blogs, newspapers, and magazines can be a great way to promote your business. This also showcases the knowledge that you and your employees possess. 

4.     Have fun to promote your business: It seems simple, but anything you do can be turned into an opportunity to promote your business. For example, if you love to play soccer ask your team to wear shirts with your company’s name and logo on the uniforms, you can even offer to have your company sponsor the team!

5.     Consider cross promotion: Buddy marketing can be a great inexpensive way to promote your business. It’s as simple as adding an extra paragraph in a flyer or putting a small ad along the side of your blog. In return the company you are promoting will also promote your business! This can help you reach potential markets that you have a hard time breaking into or don’t know about.

What do you think is important for businesses to keep in mind going into the new year? Let us know in the comments, we want to hear what you have to say!

…So Call

Start your year off right; if you have any questions relating to your material handling needs give us a call or shoot us an e-mail, (513) 842-2012, omega.rockett@yahoo.com! 

        

Freezing Our Batteries Off

I’m sure most of you have already noticed…but it’s winter! With the colder weather many people have problems with their vehicles. There’s a wide range of vehicular troubles brought about by the cold, however, the most prevalent issue seems to be batteries. Why does the cold make it so difficult for vehicles' batteries to get going in the morning?

How Much Do You Know?

1.     Batteries in general discharge more quickly in cold weather?

a.     True

b.     False

2.     During cold weather electric forklifts can face a possible ____-____% decrease in cycle times.

a.     15-25

b.     25-40

c.     25-50

3.     The electric current that is generated by a car battery is produced by  positive and negative ___________.

a.     Terminals

b.     Neutrons

c.     Peroxisomes

4.     Most forklift batteries are made to withstand temperatures of about _______degrees Fahrenheit

a.     -5

b.     -15

c.     -30

Get This…

So why do car batteries die more often in the winter months? Well the answer is fairly simple, batteries run off of a chemical reaction. This chemical reaction creates electrons, which then creates a current. This current is what gets a battery going. When the weather gets colder this current slows down; if a battery is already in the process of dying this current could slow down so much that the battery stops/dies. Sometimes warming the battery back up can help to get it started again, but typically it’s better to play it safe and invest in a new battery. Besides the cold there are a few other things that can impact the life of your car battery. Constantly having things plugged in to your car, like your phone, can use up a lot of energy, making it harder for your battery to stay charged and recharge. If you want to lengthen the lifespan of your battery unplug your extra devices!  

          Can You Answer This Question???

At 32 degrees Fahrenheit your car loses ______% of its battery strength.

A.    25

B.    35

C.    45

Cold weather can be very hard on industrial batteries. Even when they’re used every day; it can take twice as much current to get an engine started in cold conditions as opposed to more “normal” conditions. It is reported that at 0 degrees Fahrenheit your car battery loses 60% of its strength, and at 32 degrees it loses about 35% (making B your answer). Because of this it’s important to get your batteries tested before the cold weather hits if possible.   

      

Get The Forklift Facts!

There are several different fueling methods for forklifts, and they are all impacted by the cold in different ways.

Electric forklifts can have a 25-50% decrease in their cycle times during cold weather, similar to a car. This is because the electrolytes in the battery thicken, then causing a struggle to complete the chemical reaction needed to power the forklift.

Fuel and diesel forklifts can be harder to start in the winter, so it’s a good idea to make sure the tank is fairly full!

LP forklifts are even impacted by the cold when the engine battery is weakened.

Keep this in mind when purchasing forklifts and preparing for cold winter months!   

…So Call

If you find yourself experiencing any of this issues with your forklift then contact us (513) 842-2012!