A safe return: Fork lift safety week
June 1st 2009 Britain's second National Fork Lift Safety Week takes place this September. David Ellison of the Fork Lift Truck Association explains why the week's message remains so important
In September 2008, the Fork Lift Truck Association launched the UK's inaugural National Fork Lift Safety Week. The week, a national awareness campaign, was a response to the frightening fact that British workers are killed or hospitalised by fork lift trucks at a rate of more than one per day… and that the death toll doubles in September.
Unusually, our message – "Pedestrians and fork lift trucks don't mix" – was aimed as much at colleagues and visitors on foot as it was fork lift truck operators themselves. The reason was simple: as many as two thirds of those seriously injured in fork lift truck accidents are pedestrians – warehouse workers, members of the public and, frequently, delivery drivers. Throughout the country, Members of the FLTA and its Safe User Group spread the safety message; contacting their local media, informing staff and customers and passing on useful safety literature. Free printable posters, downloaded from the FLTA website, were displayed in danger areas nationwide, reminding pedestrians and fork lift truck operators alike of the need to be vigilant, and take the dangers seriously.
A courageous Nottinghamshire woman, Lisa Ramos, attracted prime-time television and radio coverage for the campaign, by telling the story of the horrific fork lift truck accident that cost her left leg… exactly the kind of accident that happens literally every day.
In many ways, then, the week was a great success. But, unfortunately, the accident toll is still a major concern. Indeed, our ambition to have a week free of major fork lift incidents lasted just a couple of hours. The death of Czech contractor Ondrej Hladik at Scotland's Glendoe hydroelectric scheme, in the small hours of Monday morning, made national press. It was followed ten days later by a second fatal fork lift accident, this time in Doncaster, killing 65-year-old Fred Roberts.
Accidents like these remain all too common… and, tragically, could usually have been avoided with a little more vigilance and care. So – in honour of Fred, Ondrej, Lisa, and the 400 other people who are killed or seriously injured by a fork lift truck every year – our fight goes on. Safety Week 2008 was an encouraging start, and we hope to make 2009 even bigger and better; reaching far more people than ever before. Once again, our key message for the week is both simple and memorable, and is addressed to pedestrians and truck operators alike. Quite simply: "Look out for each other." By this, we mean…
Operators: take extra care when pedestrians are around. Don't forget they may not know the warehouse rules, and might think they have right of way.
Pedestrians: be aware of fork lift trucks; and don't assume the driver can see you – they're working under pressure and, especially with big loads, fork lift trucks have blind spots, often right in front of them.
So: keep your eyes open for each other – be on the look out – but also take care of your colleagues. Make allowances for possible mistakes, and never assume they've seen you.
We'll be working harder than ever to spread the word in workplaces all over the UK – producing more free posters, resources and information, telling the story in the press, and providing plenty of opportunities for fork lift truck users and suppliers to get involved.
Together, with a little care and common sense, we can make a real difference to the UK's fork lift accident rate – literally saving lives and limbs. More articles from The Fork Lift Truck Association: | 
