Powered industrial truck-related incidents account for tens of thousands of injuries each year in the United States. Incidents occur from both driver and mechanical error. Hitches may be left unsecured. A driver may be swiped by a passing vehicle, or fall off an unstable dock. These incidents often lead to lost time and property damage, but more seriously, it may harm employees or others around them.
In response, OSHA has announced a new program focused on reducing fatalities and serious injuries related to powered industrial trucks. Recent implementations of this requirement have occurred in Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi.
Cindy Coe of OSHA’s regional administration office in Atlanta stated, “Powered industrial trucks are a significant source of serious and fatal injuries to workers. Employers are responsible for ensuring that workers follow the proper safety procedures and for eliminating hazards from the workplace.”
Authorities are taking these standards seriously and are reinforcing, to employers and employees alike, the severity of these accidents and repercussions of breaking regulations. The regional emphasis on power industrial trucks will run from May 29, 2011 through September 30, 2012, and may be extended if needed.
For more information on OSHA and regional standards related to powered industrial trucks, please click here.
Resources:
http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/poweredindustrialtrucks/index.html
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=20067
https://policy.itc.virginia.edu/policy/policydisplay?id=SEC-026
