Forklift Follies in Pictures and Videos

They say a picture’s worth a thousand words. Let’s hope so, because in spite of OSHA training regulations and almost daily news about forklift accidents, forklift operators still do foolish things. Maybe photographs and videos like these will help prevent the serious consequences of forklift follies like these.

Two Follies in One Foto

This crack team of forklift fools are doing two dumb things at once. At first glance, it looks like the guy on the back of the lift truck might just be hitching a ride. That’s always a bad idea, but the real reason why he’s riding on the back of the truck qualifies him as double-dumb. He’s a big man and the forklift operator asked him to come along for the ride because he wants to pick up a load that is heavier than the forklift’s rated capacity. Guess who’s going to get the worst injury if he’s not quite heavy enough to balance the scales?

What Goes Up Must Come Down

You don’t need a degree in physics to understand gravity. What goes up must come down. If you’re using a forklift as a personnel lift, it’s a really bad idea to not use a personnel lift or work platform that has a safety cage to prevent the rider from free-falling if and when he loses his balance. Unfortunately, even though work platforms are very inexpensive forklift accessories, too many factories and warehouses don’t have one set aside for jobs like this. You may get away with this extremely unsafe practice for awhile, but when the inevitable fall occurs, the consequences will be serious if not fatal.

The Ultimate Forklift Folly

This photo is beyond belief, but it’s not a product of Photoshop wizardry. These guys had a problem. They needed to get some equipment down, but it was about twice as high as a single forklift’s reach. The solution? Double the reach by doubling the number of forklifts you use.

If ever there was a horrible accident waiting to happen, this is it. At the top of the photograph, you have heavy equipment precariously balanced on forklift forks. In the middle, two employees are standing on the raised forklift without any safety devices to keep them from falling. Imagine the domino effect if something goes wrong, Either or both of the workers could get crushed under the forklift if it fell. If they’re a little luckier, maybe they’ll only get hit by the equipment. If they’re extremely lucky, a fall will just result in some bumps and bruises and maybe a few broken bones. Any way you look at it, this takes the cake as one of the most foolish misuses of forklifts humanly possible.

Of course, our forklift fools may have gotten away with their antics. Just in case you’re thinking these forklift follies look fun, take a look at this video compilation of the Top Ten Forklift Accidents and think again. Be sure to watch till the end – you won’t believe your eyes when you see a forklift bring down an entire warehouse.

Photograph Source: Forklift Safety Training Ontario