020 8880 3322There’s a right way and a wrong way to operate forklift trucks. The right way not only maximises safety in materials handling but brings your business the greatest levels of efficiency and profitability.
Training at the wheel is vital, of course, but videos can be very useful in reinforcing the messages – particularly in relation to safety. There is no one video that answers every question, but those we have shortlisted can all play a part in your safety awareness training. So why not use them all?
1. Forklift Truck Safety – Part 1
This is the first in a five-part series of materials handling safety videos presented by the Fork Lift Truck Association. As such, it carries a high level of authority. Each part is about three or four minutes long, which allows delivery in bite-sized chunks.
2. OSHA Forklift Safety Video
Videos available from the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) include this introduction to forklift trucks, what they do and how to use them safely. At 27 minutes it’s a fairly comprehensive summary and well worth watching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFIBNDuHUEA
3. Forklift Training – Basic Operations
Along with fundamental materials handling safety advice, this production from a large American forklift dealer gives a lot of practical tips to help drivers get the best out of their lift trucks. It lasts 12 minutes, so naturally it doesn’t go into the same depth as the OSHA video and FLTA series. It does, however, give a different perspective, including useful elements not mentioned in the others.
4. Forklift Basic Principles
Considering that many of the most serious forklift truck accidents involve tip overs, which in turn are caused by loss of balance, this brief clip (less than two minutes) is a must. Using animation, it simply and clearly explains the principles of balance involved in a forklift’s structure and functioning. That seems like a very important issue to impress on lift truck operators. It’s actually an extract from a larger video produced by safety and compliance publisher MANCOMM.
5. Forklift Stability Essentials
For the full story on forklift stability, try this 18-minute video. The better your operators understand this aspect of forklift functioning, the less likely they are to overturn their trucks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZbtsPK2R4U
6. Lift Truck Mistakes
Distilling forklift safety into less than three minutes of animated instruction, this video identifies the seven most common errors made by lift truck operators. It’s a very good quick introduction or reminder. There should be no limit to the number of times you tell your staff these rules.
7. Forklift Safety – 8 Rules
Another short distillation, this 3.5-minute video uses pictures and animation to present eight crucial safety rules. Again this works very well as an introduction or a reminder.