One of the questions we most frequently get asked by our customers pertains to the maximum speed forklifts should be circulating to prevent work accidents. This is a natural concern given that the daily work dynamics increasingly involves the coexistence of operators with several of these heavy vehicles in the same space. This forces us to establish parameters and general operating regulations to improve occupational safety and prevent workplace accidents.

There is no regulation establishing a specific speed range, although many safety managers rely on the technical notes published by INSHT institutes in each country. In general, it is considered acceptable to maintain a speed circulation of 20 km/h in open outdoor spaces, and a limit of 10 km/h in indoor spaces where pedestrians coexist regularly.

At Claitec we have also developed a range of solutions that keep forklift operators safe at all times.

Solutions like the Pedestrian Alert System (PAS), a tool that alerts drivers when it detects a person at adjustable distances from 1 to 6.5 meters. It is a unique system capable of differentiating people from objects, and even detecting operators behind walls or shelves!

The PAS System minimises the number of accidents, reduces the risk of being run over, and generates safer and more efficient work environments. It can be easily complemented with other safety systems.

Another option is the LSA Solution, an electronic safety device which limits the circulation speed of forklifts. It is specially designed to complement the safety tools of the vehicle and to reduce its speed in areas where there are operators on foot. This solution is a great ally to help you reduce accidents and collisions between vehicles, often caused by speeding.

Once the LSA Solution is installed, its operation is remarkably simple, and it does not require any action from the operator. The forklift that is equipped with this system reacts when entering an area in which its use was determined, and it activates a signal that forces it to adapt to the established limit, which can be selected as either “slow” or “fast”.

Beyond the above, our safety technician – a professional with extensive experience in the matter and in constant contact with factories and warehouses -, recommends analysing each specific case to adopt the most appropriate safety measures in each company.

In addition, there are some factors to consider to ensure you are making an appropriate decision:

1. Forklifts of different types or manufacturers differ in size, weight, and construction materials. These characteristics must be taken into account to establish the proper speed of the vehicle – the heavier the vehicle, the lower the speed should be.
   
   
2. The condition of the aisles through which the trucks circulate must also be taken into account. The surface resistance and its anti-slip ability will determine the distance necessary to brake the vehicle.
   
   
3. Another element of essential importance is the visibility of the driver. Driving speed should be slower in areas of poor visibility.
   
   
4. Ramps, curves, and road obstacles should be considered. The speed of the truck must be lower as the inclination of a ramp increases. Also, quick turns should be avoided at all times.
   
   
5. Once the appropriate speed limit has been determined in each case, it will be necessary to guarantee its compliance by all operators. Effective communication with employees is essential to achieve this goal. And it is advisable to sign at appropriate intervals and places the agreed speed limit, as a reminder for drivers.
   
   

If you have any questions or are interested in applying any of our solutions to your work environment, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

The safe, agile and efficient circulation of operators is of vital importance in our industries. Guaranteeing the integrity of the people who are part of our teams and achieving safe spaces is key as it will not only provide us with better results, but it will also decrease the number of accidents at work.

In this post we’ll discuss three systems that allow for a safer pedestrian circulation in our industries.

1) VAS System:

Firstly, our Visual Alert System, an innovative development that warns pedestrians and/or forklifts of any risk situations by projecting signals on the ground. Such signals are very visible to operators and easy to detect. They are extremely useful in spaces with highly frequent pedestrian traffic. The floor signs are a lot more effective than the  panoramic mirrors and the posters that are traditionally used in industries as these are generally placed too high to be seen or end up becoming part of the general landscape of the site, and people stop paying attention to them.

2) PAS System:

One of the most sought-after systems at Claitec, the Pedestrian Alert System (PAS) warns forklift drivers when a person is detected at adjustable distances of 1 to 6.5 meters. It is a unique system capable of discriminating between people and objects. It even detects operators who are behind a wall or a shelf! The PAS System minimises the number of accidents at work and reduces the very real risk of being run over in our industries. It generates a much safer and more efficient working environment for all. It also complements, in a very simple way, other safety systems.

3) PCS Solution:

A very useful and easy to deploy system, the Pedestrial Cross Safety Solution is designed to ensure the physical integrity of pedestrians in crossing spaces, and it can easily be applied throughout the industry. This tool signals the forklift through a system of traffic lights previously installed in a workspace of the presence and the eventual crossing of pedestrians in their area. It’s remarkable how easy the PCS Solution is to implement – apart from the traffic lights, pedestrians circulating in the workspace must carry small tags – similar to a key chain -, which will emit light signals when detected by a previously installed activator. That same activator sends the signal to the traffic lights, which then indicate the presence of the person.

If you would like to find out more about these three solutions, or any of our products, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

This June 5 commemorates World Environment Day, an important date in a special and challenging year for our society. A year when we feel it’s more important than ever to emphasise the need to act responsibly towards our environment at every step we take in our industries. We must understand that the ecological factor should be a key element in our vision and a fundamental element to help us take better care of health and safety in our work spaces.

Claitec is 100% committed to the environment and we view businesses as key pieces to global environmental responsibility. For this reason, our quality and environmental management systems are certified in accordance with the requirements of ISO 9001: 2015 and 14001: 2015 for the activities of design, development and commercialisation of security systems for the protection of people.

We cannot conceive of a solution if it is not a truly environmentally responsible tool. And we cannot conceive it without generating a sustainability plan both for its manufacture and use and for its subsequent disposal. This is how we talk about it daily with suppliers, customers and the general public, and how we explain it in this earlier post about the life cycle of our products.

By way of summary, it should be remembered that the analysis of the life cycle of a product consists of the detailed analysis of each of its phases in order to detect whether or not it generates an environmental impact. In a typical product, the phases that are analysed are: Composition (chemical products and raw materials), Manufacturing (chemical products and process), Distribution, Use of the product and End of life.

In addition, we also feel it’s very important for all industries to have their own environmental management and environmental responsibility plans, and we invite all of us to be aware and take action in this regard.

There are simple steps that we can take in each of our routines, and that can undoubtedly generate a contribution of enormous value. Responsible energy consumption, recycling policies and efficiency and impact reduction policies are just some of the issues to consider, as we also discussed in this other post.

If you have any questions about this topic or any other query and require our advice, don’t hesitate to contact us, we are here to help!