The Ergo Back-Up Handle

This is How You Should be Backing Up

One of the ways that driving a forklift is different from operating a regular car is that with a forklift, you spend as much (or more) time in reverse as you do going forward. This isn’t necessarily a problem, but it does create certain safety hazards. In this post, we cover some of the risks of driving in reverse and explain why the ergo back-up handle is a necessary safety product for your lift truck.

What are the dangers of driving in reverse?

Driving in reverse in a forklift is more dangerous than with a regular car for a couple of reasons. First, your hands have nothing to hold onto; this makes it hard to maintain balance and can throw your driving off if you’re used to driving a car. Drivers may be tempted to grab the overhead guard which is always a dangerous proposition. Hand injuries can easily occur as a result of placing one’s hands outside of the confines of the vehicle. Another problem is that when you drive in reverse, you need to frequently use your safety horn. This is a real problem because in order to sound the horn, you need to take your hands off of the wheel.

Why you should spring for the Ergo Back-Up Handle

The Ergo Back-Up Handle alleviates most of the dangers associated with backing up in a forklift. It gives you an item to hold onto while backing up, and it simulates where you would place your hands in a regular car. Holding onto the handle will also improve posture and maintain balance. A useful feature is the optional horn button, which allows you to sound the horn without taking your hands off the wheel. The Ergo Back-Up Handle will fit onto any lift truck. No special tools are needed to install this helpful device and it can be installed in just minutes.

You should always exercise special caution when driving in reverse with a forklift. Using the Ergo Back-Up Handle offers safety and comfort benefits that make forklift operation that much more straightforward.

Always wear your seat belt when operating a forklift. An article on our main site, Forklift Accessories for Workplace Safety, includes a true story of the harrowing consequences of being thrown from a lift truck when it tips over. Operators instinctively want to jump from the vehicle when it tips over. The seat belt prevents them from doing this and can save their life.