Accident Alert - Forklift Operator Fatality
Incident
A forklift operator received fatal injuries when the forklift he was operating overturned on a ramp he was descending.
Circumstances
A passer-by discovered the 1-tonne-capacity forklift overturned on a ramp, which exited from the building onto a roadway. The operator was found trapped between the frame of the forklift and the ground.
Investigation
The investigation found that:
- The forklift operator was not trained to operate a forklift but had operated them before under supervision.
- The forklift was an obsolete model in poor mechanical condition i.e. the tyres were of unequal pressure, the steering linkages were severely worn, and the brakes were ineffective.
- The forklift had not been left in an inoperable condition.
- The forklift appears to have been turning while descending the ramp.
- The forklift was used without the employer's knowledge.
- At the time of the accident the forklift was not being used in its intended semi-static situation inside the workshop to lift items in and out of a hydraulic press. Forklift as it came to rest after the accident
Recommendations
- Maintain forklifts to NZS B56 and NZS 2359 as a minimum.
- Only trained and authorised operators are legally permitted to use a forklift. Employers should implement strict guidelines for forklift usage in accordance with the Approved Code of Practice for Training Operators and Instructors of Powered Industrial Lift Trucks (Forklifts). All operators are required to be trained to the minimum standard presented in the code.
- This accident highlights the hazard of staff working alone and the importance of training and supervision.
- Check the environment in which a forklift is to be used for hazards such as ground surface conditions, potholes and slopes etc. before beginning.
Never turn a forklift on a slope.
Forklift as it came to rest after the accident
Issued by the Department of Labour, New Zealand
http://www.osh.govt.nz
No. 4 - September 2005
