Yale Materials Handling Corp., Greenville, North Carolina, and Hyster Co. have announced they participated in the third annual National Forklift Safety Day, June 14, 2016, to educate customers, officials and the general public about the importance of safe forklift operation.
Sponsored by the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), National Forklift Safety Day features speakers from OSHA, the National Safety Council and the congressional subcommittee on workforce protections, covering updates on OSHA regulations, international trade policy and current congressional activity. Yale and Hyster representatives joined industry peers in Washington for these events.
“National Forklift Safety Day has established itself as a tremendous opportunity to emphasize the importance of safe forklift operation and reconvene with regulatory and other industry leaders each year,” says Chris Murtha, Brand Manager for Yale. “But safety doesn’t happen in one day. Fostering a safe workplace is a year-round challenge that requires consistent safe habits. That’s why we develop training and design products to help operations be as safe as possible.”
Yale says their training tools and safety resources address workplace hazards and critical maintenance requirements, with the purpose of encouraging drive positive behaviors and appropriate equipment usage. Their award-winning, OSHA-compliant Handle with Care Operator Training Program covers all five lift truck product classes, as well as the tools necessary for tailored operator training. In addition, its Enhancing Productivity through Safety White Paper provides a step-by-step approach to safety in the workplace through training, proper maintenance and operator-friendly features.
“According to the National Safety Council, operator error accounts for 70 percent of forklift accidents, and according to OSHA, this number can be reduced by 30 percent with effect training,” says Lorri Lewis, Brand Manager for Hyster. “These statistics make safety and training measures critical for the materials handling industry, which is why National Forklift Safety Day is so important. At Hyster, reducing accidents and injury rates is a priority. We weave safety into everything we do, from product design and development, to manufacturing process, maintenance and training, safety is a core principle.”
Hyster says it offers an extensive collection of safety training and awareness materials, such as a Best-In-Class Operator Training Program, which covers all five lift truck product classes, and provides all of the tools necessary for operator training. The company also recently created ‘forklift safety’ and ‘pedestrian safety’ posters to the emphasize the program’s subject matter, which are available on its website.