The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a federal organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the health of all laborers. For this reason, OSHA issues rules that can, if broken, can result in hefty fines for your business. OSHA forklift regulations and rules related to overall safety can be simple to follow. We’ve compiled a few of OSHA’s most commonly cited regulations to help you understand how to make your business a safer place.
Powered Industrial Trucks
Ownership of powered industrial trucks, such as forklifts, is a huge responsibility. OSHA has strict guidelines regarding all aspects of industrial vehicles, including their design and standard operations. In order to avoid getting issued a fine related to your forklift handling:
- Only permit OSHA certified employees to handle the vehicles.
- Don’t use a forklift to raise or lower a human worker.
- Only raise or lower the forklift while it is not in motion.
- Regularly inspect your forklifts and identify what, if any, damage you notice immediately.
- Only raise or lower loads on your forklift appropriate for its weight capacity.
Fall Prevention
The majority of OSHA citations are issued regarding improper fall protection at a worksite. Every business is required to have adequate fall protection, depending on the trade or job at hand. To avoid getting penalized for not having appropriate fall protection, make sure that enough supervision is available to your workers who are situated high up, protect the edges of high platforms with barriers, and ensure that all work surfaces are stable before sending up workers.
Eye and Face Protection
Personal protective equipment (PPE) that covers the eyes and/or face is to be available at all job sites in which working environments or particular tasks may pose threats to a worker’s face, skin, eyes, or respiratory system. Inadequate use of PPE may result in work-related injuries that cause blindness or death. In order to properly fulfill all requirements regarding PPE:
- Provide the right PPE for the job, every time. Different tasks require different PPE, so make sure to understand all rules regarding PPE.
- Enforce the wearing of PPE for each worker throughout the project. It can only be helpful if it is worn properly.
- Keep PPE clean, well-maintained, and readily available for anyone who may need to jump in on a project.
Experts in OSHA Regulations
When maintaining compliance with OSHA forklift regulations, it is essential to trust that your equipment is up to code. At Industrial Forklift Truck, we guarantee that each of our construction vehicles is up to OSHA safety standards. Have questions? Our friendly staff can answer any questions you may have regarding machinery compliance. Check out our full inventory of vehicles to rent or buy to find the right equipment for your next enterprise.
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