Be Aware When Operating a Fork Lift Truck and Laws on Forktrucks and Mobile Phones

As with many large pieces of machinery andcertain parts such as the brakes, the wheels, the
equipment there are safety precautions to takeforks and so on. Making these daily checks can be
when operating a fork lift truck. It is a legalthe difference in having an accident or not.
requirement that anyone operating a fork liftWhen hiring a forklift truck the same rules and
truck is trained and they have the appropriatelaws need to be followed just as if you owned
certification proving they are qualified. Misuse of athe forklift truck yourself. For example the proper
forklift truck is not only a chargeable offence buttraining needs to be given to the employee who is
is extremely dangerous and can hurt othersgoing to be operating the machine. The rules and
around you. When driving a forklift truck you dolaws attached to operating a forklift truck are
not only need to pay attention to what is goingvery similar to that of any vehicle, vehicles we
on inside the forklift but to what is going onare more familiar with such as cars or motorbikes.
around you as well. It is just like when driving aFor example you need insurance and tax if the
vehicle on the road even though you can drive aforklift truck is to be driven on the roads; you
car perfectly safely you can still have accidentsneed a license, and it is illegal to talk on your
by not keeping your eye on the road and othermobile phone while operating the fork lift truck.
cars around you.Why is it illegal to talk or operate a mobile phone
Important aspects to look out for when driving awhile driving the forklift truck? Just as with driving
forklifta normal car it is against the law to talk on the
Uneven surfaces and drops - more than likely thephone while operating a forklift truck. Talking on
surfaces that you will be operating the forkliftthe phone or texting on a mobile phone whilst
truck on will not be smooth and will be relativelydriving distracts us and breaks our concentration
uneven and rough. Watch out for pot holes,from the road and the environment that
bumps, ramps, dock platforms, dock bridges, andsurrounds us which can cause accidents, this is
inclines. The forklift will no doubt be able to handlethe same if you are driving a fork lift truck, there
this surface but in order for the operator to keepis no difference. The use of a handheld device
control they need to be on the look out for thesewhilst driving a forklift truck on a public road is
hazards.illegal, there is no set law stating that using a
Visibility is key - accidents on worksites and shophandheld device in a private site is illegal but it is a
floors do happen and so it is important togood idea for the employer to ban the use of
minimalise these accidents as much as possiblehand held device while operating machinery to
especially with such heavy and dangerousavoid injuries and accidents. There are specific and
machines as forklifts. The operator must alwaysspecial devices that can be used to communicate
ensure that they have clear visibility whenwhilst operating these machines which are a lot
maneuvering a forktruck which includes checkingsafer to use but still it can deter your
they can see out of their windows at all timesconcentration away from the task at hand which
(they may need a clean), checking their mirrorscan be dangerous.
are positioned correctly and so on.Sometimes it is required of some communication
Daily checks - by law forktruck operators arebetween two people, the person in the fork lift
required to check the fork lift truck and the forktruck and a person on the ground, in which case
lift parts on a daily basis and a more thoroughworking platforms are used.
examination on a weekly basis. This checks