9 Forklift Safety Features that Can Save Lives and Reduce Risks

Forklift owners can improve the safety of their vehicles while minimizing the risk of workplace accidents by including nine different safety features on their vehicles:

• Overhead Guards — Help protect against objects dropped from above while protecting operators in the event of a rollover accident
• Mirrors — Allow operators to see potential obstacles behind their vehicles while backing up
• Effective Mast Function and Control Systems — Enable operators to control the up and down, forward and backward, and angle motions of their forks at all times.
• Strobe Lights — Inform pedestrians and other persons in the path of a forklift of the vehicle’s presence even in loud or confined workplaces
• Horns and Alarms — Horns and alarms emit a loud, penetrating sound that instantly alerts nearby workers of the forklift’s approach
• Battery Guards and Warnings — Warns and informs employees about risks associated with refilling or maintaining electric forklift batteries
• Rear Stability Control Systems — Provides operators with more control over the safe movement of their vehicles even in slippery or rugged drive conditions
• Seat Belts — Keep operators inside the vehicle in the event of a tip-over accident as well as during stops and starts, sharp turns, and while traveling over rough or uneven ground
• High-Quality Forklift Seats — Ergonomic forklift seats promote driver comfort and reduce the risk of back pain or injury even during long shifts

Forklifts equipped with these and other safety features keep both operators and pedestrians safer while reducing the risk of accidents.