Lessons learned

On March 6, 1995, a loading dock worker for a gypsum company in Iowa was killed when a forklift suddenly lurched forward pinning him against a flatbed truck. The accident occurred because the forklift driver neglected to set the manual parking or service brake when he left the forklift to help the victim, so the forklift lurched forward when he returned to it, crushing the victim.

The company changed its loading procedures in response to the accident, with loading now a one-man operation with drivers prohibited from allowing forklifts to idle perpendicular to a truck edge where workers may be present adjusting a load.

In addition, the company expanded its forklift training, with drivers taught to follow safe procedures when dismounting and leaving a forklift unattended when other workers are in close proximity. Drivers are also trained to park or idle a forklift a safe distance from stationery objects and allow sufficient time for someone to escape in case of machine malfunction or operator error.

According to OSHA, forklift accidents cause 100 deaths and 95,000 injuries in the U.S. each year. Lessons learned from them prompt safety improvements that protect workers from future fatalities.