The image tends to repeat itself regardless of the industry we talk about – forklifts travelling from one place to another, braking, loading, accelerating, braking, unloading… again and again. Forklifts are like ants moving through our facilities, key pieces of our daily work and for many, a second home.

Keeping always in mind the importance forklifts have in our daily work life, it’s important we keep them in excellent working condition, complying with all established safety guidelines and constantly making of them – and our industry in general – a safer place.

In this post we’d like to highlight some general safety features of these industrial vehicles as well as discuss several tools that can be added to make them even safer.

Ignacio Bereciartu, ULMA’s After Sales Service Manager recently explained in an article published on the website www.manutencionyalmacenaje.com that his firm conducts a comprehensive periodic review to strengthen the safety of these machines. This analysis includes all the checks and adjustments which – according to the NTP 715 of the National Institute of Safety and Hygiene at Work – a forklift requires to be considered in optimal conditions, both in the functional as well as in the safety aspects of the vehicle.

Bereciartu clarified that “there is no strict norm, as in the rest of the countries, regarding the periodic inspections that forklifts must comply with” and said that his firm analyses: the driving position, the lifting elements, wheels, micros and sensors, braking systems and signalling systems, together with other safety indicators, such as license plates, operators’ manuals and CE marking.

He also highlighted some of the safety measures implemented in the forklifts which constantly help prevent accidents in ULMA’s workplace. For example, more and more vehicles have presence detection systems which paralyse the wheel of the forklift and the elevation of the mast as soon as it senses the driver is no longer sitting – or more precisely, when he or she lifts his or her rear from the seat.

In addition to this, devices are used to keep the forklift halted until the driver puts on his or her seatbelt. That system is not designed as in a normal car – its goal is to ensure that in a risk situation the operator does not jump out of the cabin instinctively, an action which would expose him or her even more.

The forklift’ automatic lighting – which lights up when the forklift is started – and a device for detecting blind spots or speed limitations are also some of the developments highlighted by Bereciartu in the aforementioned article, and safety feature we should all contemplate incorporating into our work vehicles and spaces.

This is also our goal at Claitec. Some of our developments provide forklifts with various tools to operate more efficiently and safely. The BS (Blind Spot) Solution, for instance, indicates who has the right of way at intersections by means of traffic lights and warning lights previously installed in industrial spaces. Experience with our clients shows that once the BS Solution is installed, the risks of running over pedestrians are minimised and collisions between trucks are reduced in areas of limited visibility.

Similarly, the NAS (Narrow Aisle) Solution provides additional safety in narrow corridors. Highly requested by our customers, this high-performance product uses a traffic light to warns drivers when another forklift is also circulating in a narrow aisle. This development is useful for high shelving areas and reduced spaces, especially for retractable and trilateral forklifts.

Finally, the LSA (Low Speed Area) System, regulates and limits the speed of the forklift in loading areas, helping reduce risks and preventing accidents.

To find out more about our products, we invite you to visit our website: claitec.com.

If you are looking for further details on a specific topic or if you have any questions for us, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Pablo Picasso once said:

“creativity exists, but it must find you working”.

At Claitec we not only share the great master´s wonderful words of wisdom but we try to apply them to our routines as reality keeps us constantly in our toes and force us to be creative and up-to-date. Creativity helps us find solutions to the challenges faced by our clients and friends, encourages us to always go further, improve ourselves and put ourselves to the test to find new ways to innovate and create.

A perfect example of this creative spirit is the case we want to share with you in this post. It involves our work with the prestigious Swedish multinational IKEA – a leading pioneer in its field worldwide.

IKEA had been using the PAS Solution for a long time in more than the 70 forklifts operating in one of its main warehouses in Valls (Tarragona), operated by FM Logistics. The system in this facility focused on protecting pedestrians when forklifts approached them. The system detected the proximity of a pedestrian, warned the driver and caused the vehicle to start moving slower to protect operators from any potential impact or risk or from being run over. But in this case, and after using the system for a while, IKEA´s Safety Director in Tarragona consulted us about the possibility of incorporating a new functionality to the PAS System – an inhibitor of the speed limitation function.

The IKEA team wanted the speed limitation feature to be activated by default in a forklift in the presence of a nearby pedestrian, having the possibility – by means of a button – to maintain its normal speed at the time.

Thanks to this new feature, the driver notices the presence of an operator and takes control of the situation, being able to circulate normally after having inhibited the speed limit. This method allows time to be gained in the displacement, the productivity of the vehicles is greatly improved, the drivers are given more control, and the safety of the pedestrian being detected by the forklift is always maintained.

This new development has the unique particularity that the push button that the driver carries to maintain the speed – after the pedestrian is detected – incorporates an automatic timer. This makes the inhibition effective only for 5 seconds, as a form of prevention and to always maintain the attention of the driver in his or her surroundings. If the driver needs to keep his speed longer, he or she will have to press the button again and will given another 5 seconds.

The system is designed in such a way that it cannot be sabotaged and the speed control cannot be permanently inhibited. This adaptation is now available as an accessory for other PAS users who want to incorporate it.

If you would like to have more information about this or about another of our products and services, don´t hesitate to contact us.

Our previous article explained the importance of safety training in the prevention of accidents in the workplace. Following with that same line, today we’d like to address a very important issue of current concern throughout the world: the use of mobile phones during working hours.

Mobile phones are already a fundamental part of our lives. Our routines include the use of the mobile phone during a good part of our day for a range of different activities – from personal conversations with family and friends to a professional use to handle some of our responsibilities.

However, we also know that using mobile phones during working hours can not only result in lost efficiency, but it also becomes a significant risk factor, especially in areas of concern to us such as the industrial world, factories and cargo handling facilities.

But what can be done about the use of mobile phones at work? Should we ban them? Should we punish the user? The truth is that there is not a single answer for these questions, but there are a number of different recommendations that are being put into practice by companies around the world, including some of the largest corporation.

Some of the current trends we can use as example include the signing of labour agreements with employees or trade union representatives stating that the use of mobile phones is not allowed during working hours and establishing the possibility of sanction if this rule is not respected.

Another option is to install signage indicating the areas where mobile phone usage is permitted and those where it is prohibited. Some companies also install warning signs on forklifts to alert the drivers and remind them of the responsibilities they assume from the first moment they start driving or handling loads. Posters on the subject are also placed in common spaces – such as changing rooms –  reminding employees of the risks linked with mobile phone usage.

On the other hand, some companies place posters reminding operators that certain spaces – such as rest areas, dining rooms or patios – are suitable for mobile use, going as far as making WI-FI network available to them. Installing these posters is a way of saying to operators: “You can now use your mobile phones but remember that you will not be able to do so afterwards”.

Beyond the different measures that can be taken in the matter of mobile phones, the key is to accompany all the actions with solid training and awareness campaigns on the risks involved in using mobile phones in work areas, and to report the increased number of accidents when security parameters in this regard are not followed.

Would you like more information about how to reduce risks in your factory or plant?

Please, don’t hesitate to contact us.

As the adage reminds us: “prevention is better than cure”. If we apply that pearl of wisdom to our routines in the industry, we must remember that the training of operators and those who visit our facilities is not a negligible issue to which we pay attention every now and then. On the contrary, safety training merits constant time and effort to help us anticipate potential accidents caused by lack of knowledge or precaution.

In order to take care of those who visit our facilities we first must understand that we need to instil that preventive mindset we talked about in everyone at work. It’s essential to remind them constantly that the safety of the people present in our facilities is a central concern for everyone and that, therefore, we are all involved in this task.

During their visit, we suggest you allocate a space to provide a thorough and extremely clear explanation of the potential hazards that can be faced when moving around industrial facilities, manoeuvring areas and heavy loading and unloading areas, amongst others. While designed for visitors, these recommendations also apply to operators who join the company although their training period may vary according to the responsibilities and tasks to be performed.

During that initial training time – and if necessary – we must show visitors the type of personal safety equipment that should be used during the visit, clearly explaining its correct use. Unfortunately we very often see visitors taking off their helmets and exposing themselves to very high risks without being aware of it.

Visitors should stay with your guide at all times, and everyone should be clear about the risks involved in not doing so or getting away from the group. Also, if possible, it is recommended to have someone with a solid knowledge of first aid principles among those who accompany visitors during their stay in your facility. This person should be prepared to act in the event that some type of accident or unforeseen health event occurs.

Another very important aspect of your visitors’ training is to inform them about the main traffic signs they should be aware of and which are the evacuation routes of your facility. Remind them also when are they allowed to take pictures or videos and when and where can they smoke.

By paying attention to and following safety guidelines, we are all contributing to prevent and reduce accidents in industrial facilities.