National Forklift Safety Day falls on every second Tuesday of June, and this year, we’re honoring this important day on June 13, 2023. In this edition of the Papé Material Handling blog, let’s take a look at the significance of National Forklift Safety Day, how you can improve safety in your operations, and how you can get involved in observing this essential day for operators and safety managers.

National Forklift Safety Day

This year marks the 10th anniversary of National Forklift Safety Day! This initiative is led by the Industrial Truck Association in an effort to improve forklift safety across industries and operations. 

Every year, between 35,000 and 62,000 injuries involve forklifts. How can you reduce forklift-related injuries within your warehouses and operations? The best way to begin reducing injuries is through education, awareness, and training.

Prevention

How can you improve forklift safety within your operations? Be sure to implement the following tips to improve forklift safety and operations:

• Complete training
• Wear safety clothing
• Complete pre-operation inspection before each use
• Wear a seatbelt
• Watch speeds
• Keep forks low
• Use suitable pallets, ensure stable loads, and know load weights
• Avoid hazards, keep clear of the mast, and pay attention to special loads
• Keep a clear view & stay in designated lanes
• Back up with care
• Watch your height
• Don’t use fork tips

Safety Features

Encourage operators to use all of the forklift safety features available, such as:

• Forklift seat belt
• Headlights
• Rear drive handle with horn button 
• Proximity detection system
• Parking brake

Manufacturers Lead the Way

As a Hyster & Yale dealer, we’re proud that our manufacturers are leading the way to improve forklift safety and stability. Safety is our number one priority, and we’re thrilled to see Hyster taking operational safety to the next level through the Dynamic Stability System (DSS).

Getting Involved

This year, Chuck Pascarelli, Hyster-Yale Group CEO, is the National Forklift Safety Day chairman. There will be a live feed of speakers from various events in Washington D.C., and operators, safety, and warehouse managers are encouraged to register and observe between 9 and 11 a.m. ET on June 13.  You can enroll here. 

Looking forward to finding other ways to get more involved in Forklift Safety Day? Revamp your education programs and revisit your safety training materials.

Committed to Your Safety

Here at Papé Material Handling, we are committed to helping your operations run safely and efficiently. Reach out to us with questions about how to improve your workplace safety so we can help keep you moving while keeping your teams safe and healthy. Happy National Forklift Safety Day, all!