Issue Date:  -  Thursday, 18 September 2003

Fine leads to reminder on safe use of forklifts

A Welshpool company has been fined $4500 in a Perth court for unsafe use of a forklift, prompting a warning from WorkSafe on forklifts.

Bluestar Logistics incurred the fine in the Perth Court of Petty Sessions last week after a WorkSafe inspector on two occasions observed employees standing on pallets and being lifted by the tynes of a forklift.

WorkSafe Acting Executive Director Nina Lyhne said today the statistics showed that forklifts were hazardous items of plant.

"Our statistics show that forklifts are involved in around 190 injuries every year in WA," Ms Lyhne said.

"In addition, 11 Western Australians have died over the past 15 years in workplace incidents that involved forklifts.

"In last week's case employees were being carried on the tynes of forklifts, and one of the men was around two and a half metres off the ground - not a safe way of working at all.

"Forklifts are one of WorkSafe's operational priority areas, which means that extra resources are directed towards education and enforcement related to forklifts."

The Occupational Safety and Health Regulations state that persons can only be raised on a forklift in a work cage to perform special tasks of short duration, and where it is not possible to use a scaffold or elevated work platform.

There are several other safe work practices that need to be followed when using forklifts, including:

· Using the forklift on a hard level surface without potholes to improve stability;
· Pointing the tynes upwards when traveling with a load on a ramp;
· Ensuring a forklift is never turned sideways on a ramp;
· Ensuring forklifts are driven at a low speed;
· Ensuring that forklift operators are qualified and old enough to operate the vehicle; and
· Ensuring that proper restraints are fitted and used, and that a fall-on protection structure is fitted.

"The issue of speed is crucial when operating a forklift," Ms Lyhne said.

"A large proportion of incidents involving forklifts also involve excessive speed, which can adversely affect the stability of the vehicle.

"Under the occupational safety and health legislation, employers are required to provide a safe and healthy workplace.

"Forklifts are particularly hazardous, and I strongly urge everyone in the workplace to take every precaution in and around these vehicles."