Anyone who has seen a forklift in operation knows how effective it is in moving things around an industrial site. An experienced operator can make driving it look easy. But appearances can be deceiving. Forklifts may look rather small, but they are heavy equipment, often weighing more than a ton. If the driver is not careful, they can do a lot of damage with a forklift.

In fact, driving a forklift is considered a hazardous occupation by the Fair Labor Standards Act. And the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has an extensive list of regulations covering the use of forklifts.

That is why you always need to be alert when driving one. They can flip over rather easily. When you are driving a forklift, you need to plan your moves in advance before you actually make them.

The controls of a forklift are not that complicated – only having a few levers. The difficulty lies in using these controls together, along with the acceleration and braking pedals.

Many consider these vehicles to be more dangerous than a car. So, safety is a primary concern when using a forklift. For example, you need to be aware of how much the vehicle is capable of lifting and be sure not to exceed that amount. You have to be careful never to drive in reverse around a corner. And, as mentioned, you need to plan your move before you make it. Most accidents, according to experienced drivers, occur because of carelessness and a rush to finish a job.

Accidents have occurred when drivers unknowingly drove trucks off loading docks, when the forklift fell between a dock and an unsecured trailer, and when loads fell off the lift.

Each year in the United States, almost 100 workers are killed and another 20,000 are seriously injured in forklift-related accidents. The most common accident is when a forklift overturns, accounting for about one-fourth of all forklift-related deaths. Over a 15-year period beginning in 1980, more than 1,000 forklift-related deaths were recorded.

About 20 percent of deaths were from a forklift hitting someone on foot, about 15 percent of deaths were from a driver being crushed by the lift, and about 10 percent of deaths resulted from a fall.

If you are looking for work in the Inland Empire, Arrow Staffing can help you find the right job. Arrow Staffing has the know-how and the network to find a position for you. Give Arrow Staffing a call today.