10 things to check before using a fork lift truck

Do you use a fork lift truck in your business? For many organisations, they are an essential piece of equipment that is used every day to move loads around site and to load and offload vehicles, but their use can lead to accidents and injury if the proper precautions are not taken.

On average, fork lift trucks are involved in 24% of all workplace transport accidents. One of the ways to reduce incidents involving fork lift trucks is to carry out pre-use checks to ensure the piece of equipment is safe to use before work using it commences. These don’t have to be time-consuming or complicated and you might find it useful to create a simple checklist to be used and signed off each day to show the checks were completed.

Here are some things you should consider including in your checklist:

• Check the tyre pressure and condition of the tyres
• Are lights functioning?
• Is the seat secure?
• Are mirrors undamaged and clean to allow a clear view?
• Are there any leaks, such as from oil, brake fluids or battery acid?
• Are chains in good working order?
• Is the horn working?
• Are the reversing audible signals working?
• Are the forks in good working order and do not drop when raised?
• Are the breaks working?

 

Of course, there are many more things you could check, and they might depend on the type of forklift truck you use, such as whether it is battery or fuel powered, and how often you use the truck. How do you make sure your fork lift truck is safe to use, are you going to make a checklist?