Forklift safety is an issue that sounds obvious, considering that forklifts are fairly heavy machines with numerous moving parts. However, when looking at the Occupation safety and Health Administration (OSHA) statistics, forklifts cause about 85 fatalities annually, approximately 35,000 serious injury accidents, and another 61,000 non-serious injuries.
According to OSHA records, forklift fatalities have been reported in virtually all the industries that you can think of, including mining, manufacturing, transportation, and construction among others. The good news is, however, most of these accidents can be prevented with apposite forklift training, or simply better training.
Therefore, the importance of ensuring that your machine operators have the right forklift certifications can never be stressed enough. Without proper training and certification, your company’s operations can be compromised in a number of ways. Property damage, insurance costs, and accidents can negatively impact both your employees’ safety and your business bottom line.
To illustrate how important forklift certification is to your business, here is an overview of work-related situations that are worth considering:
• Maintenance Cost: Higher cases of accidents record in your company operations translates to higher equipment insurance premiums. Forklift certification is one way of limiting these unnecessary expenses as a certified forklift operator is more cognizant and aware than an untrained one.
• Greater Productivity: The domino effect of obtaining forklift licence Melbourne means that your forklift operators are able to complete or do more work in less time. Lack of skills breeds poor workmanship and indecision which translates to low productivity.
• The confidence Factor: With apposite training and certifications, your operators will enjoy improved job confidence. This is not only reduces chances of error and accidents, but also translates to less stress and increased productivity. What’s more, a forklift operator with the right certification is always confident that the company he or she is working for is always behind him/her
• Lawsuits and Other Legal Issues: In case your forklift or other equipment causes an accident and they are not properly certified, your company can be held liable for disability payments, funeral costs, additional medical care, out-of-court settlements and other fines. When weighed against forklift training, it is apparent why forklift certification is significant.
Bottom Line
With over 10 percent of all forklift operators getting into accidents annually, and over 90 percent of forklift machines getting into accidents within 7-8 years of their lifespan, ensuring that your operators have the right forklift certifications is something that should never be taken lightly. As aforementioned, it is important not only for your employees’ safety but also your business bottom-line.
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