70% of forklift truck accidents in the UK could have been avoided by following HSE guidelines. They’re not hard to follow. Here’s how to ensure your site uses FLTs safely.
The Importance of Daily Forklift Pre-Use Inspections
One of the easiest ways to reduce the risk of an accident is to ensure your FLTs are safe to use.
Daily equipment inspections help reduce the risk of workplace injuries by identifying faults that could have catastrophic consequences. Checking safety features such as brakes, steering, and masts before use ensures no one on site uses an FLT that is not fit for purpose.
Additionally, daily inspections help reduce costs and increase efficiency on site. Daily checks mean small faults, like a loose bolt, are spotted early and fixed immediately. Left unreported, these faults can cause major damage, which is expensive to fix and leaves equipment out of action for long periods.
Using a daily checklist, such as SG World’s FLT Pre-use inspection books, allows all employees to quickly and accurately inspect each component of a forklift truck to ensure it is safe to use and working properly.
SG World also offers inspection status indicators that make it clear to anyone hoping to use the forklift truck whether it is safe to use or requires attention.
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Building a Safety-First Culture: Leadership and Training
It’s all well and good saying “we’re going to do daily inspections, and everyone will use forklifts safely,” but words don’t prevent injuries.
Leaders must make a clear effort to prioritise safety.
This starts with training. Anyone who operates a forklift truck must know how to use the FLT safely, what to look for during inspections, and how to respond after an accident.
Training should highlight the importance of health and safety procedures. Operators are more engaged when they understand the importance of safety measures.
Recognise Positive Behaviour to Improve Site Safety
One of the best ways to incentivise operators to follow best practices is to recognise positive behaviour.
If an employee identifies and reports a fault during a pre-use inspection and labels the FLT unfit to use, this should be brought to the team’s attention. This helps everyone become familiar with best practice, warns the team not to use the FLT, and ensures that each time there is a fault, everyone knows how to act.
Making Safety Visible with Signage and Status Indicators
The easiest way to make sure forklift operators stay safe is to remind them of safety whenever they use the FLTs. Safety signage and status indicators give operators directions they cannot ignore.
💡 Pro Tip for Site Managers
Don’t just file your completed inspection slips away. Review them weekly to identify recurring faults. If the same bolt is loose on Truck #4 every Tuesday, you’ve spotted a maintenance trend before it becomes a breakdown.
Take Control of Your Site Safety with SG World
Relying on "best intentions" isn't enough to meet HSE guidelines. To truly protect your team and your bottom line, you need a consistent, visible system that makes safety inspections impossible to ignore.
At SG World, we specialise in practical, floor-level safety solutions that bridge the gap between policy and practice. Whether you are looking to standardise your daily checks or make vehicle status clear to every passer-by, our range is designed to keep your operations compliant and your operators safe.
Essential FLT Safety Solutions
- Forklift Pre-Use Inspection Books: Our industry-standard checklists guide operators through every essential safety check, from brakes to mast integrity, providing a permanent paper trail of compliance.
- Inspection Status Indicators: Ensure the "Fit for Purpose" status of your equipment is visible at a glance. Our "Tuff Tag" systems and paddles prevent the accidental use of faulty equipment.
- FLT Inspection Stations: Centralise your safety management with our wall-mounted stations. These provide a high-visibility "home" for your inspection pads, making it easy for operators to access paperwork and for supervisors to monitor compliance at a glance.
- Safety Signage & Visual Aids: Reinforce training and site rules with high-visibility signage that keeps safety top-of-mind for drivers and pedestrians alike.
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