When a fatality occurs in the workplace due to a forklift, an employer is expected to report that fatality within 8 hours of its occurrence. This, along with other serious violations, have caused the GM Logistics plant in Guam to rack up several fines.

Tragedy at GM Logistics

United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Even plants in American territories are susceptible to OSHA visits – particularly in the case of a fatality at the plant. Last November, an employee at GM Logistics died when he tried to leap out of a forklift that was tipping over.

The Director of Honolulu’s OSHA installation helped organize the site visit, and is specific about how GM Logistics’ OSHA violations contributed to the death of an employee, and could have had a hand in causing harm to other employees.

Forklift Certification Citations?

Citations were issued due to many issues, including allowing employees to drive forklifts without wearing seatbelts. Even if you have received forklift certification courses, no one is so skilled at operating a forklift that they can safely or reasonably do it without a seat belt.

Worst of all, the employee who died had no confirmed forklift certification training on record. As we all know by now, forklift certification is the most important thing you can do if you’re looking to drive a forklift as part of a career choice.

The employee who was in the tipping forklift could have exercised so many more safety options that could have saved his life. The proper forklift certification would help him understand how to remain safe in a distressed machine.

There is no word yet as to how much the fines from OSHA will total to, but since many of the violations were serious, one can expect GM Logistics won’t get off easily. This just goes to show you – you MUST get your employees forklift certified and arrange for refresher courses before they get on your machines!

Forklift Accident in UK

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Forklift certification is required for a reason.  Not only should employees get a good idea of how to keep themselves safe on the job, they should be able to spot possible problems that could cause an injury or death in the workplace.  Many employers across the United States and the UK would rather do things halfway, save a little money and cut corners regardless of what it means for their employees.  This was the case for EDV Reinforcements Limited, a Rebar supplier in the UK.

What Happened at EDV?

A 50 year old man who refuses to disclose his identity was struck by an extremely heavy platform made of metal while on the job at the EDV.  The platform struck him when it fell off the forks of a fork lift truck.

After an investigation, it was determined that the platform was actually balanced on the forks without any kind of security in place.  The victim’s ribs were broken, and he suffered possibly permanent neck and back injuries due to the incident.

 Forklift Certification: Why Bother?

EDV was fined several thousand pounds by HSE, the British workplace safety body that compares to OSHA in the United States.  Though the man’s injuries were not life threatening, it’s honestly hard to tell what can happen when a heavy platform falls from a great height.  EDV is lucky to only get away with minor violations, rather than the loss of employee life.

Certification training in forklift use is important for employees all over the world.  An onsite foreman should be in place, and should never allow employees to balance such a heavy objects on the forks of a forklift.  Forklift certification in the United States teaches employees that they have a right to be safe at work.  In forklift certification training courses, an employee learns that he or she should watch out for safe conditions in the workplace, and report them if necessary.  If someone had done that at EDV, the injured employee could be on his feet right now.

There’s no excuse for a lack of safety in the workplace, and proper forklift certification training will ensure that employees avoid costly and painful injuries.

In Harrisburg, AR a 20 year-old young man was crushed under a forklift.

When tragedy strikes due to the use of heavy materials machinery, it is not always because of some negligence on the part of a company or faulty machinery. Sometimes it is due to sheer foolishness or a lack of thought on behalf of someone out to “just have a good time.”

In Harrisburg, AR a 20 year-old young man was crushed under a forklift. According to police investigators, the forklift had been stolen earlier in the evening from the Poinsett Turfgrass Company. When authorities arrived on the scene, Douglas Hanna was found crushed under the roll bar of the stolen forklift. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Why Did This Happen?

Three other young men were with Hanna throughout the theft and the accident. All three young men were arrested and charged with either felony theft or negligent homicide. All four were intoxicated and had alcohol in their possession at the time of the incident.

When a tragedy such as this occurs, it is easy to make this a moral issue about whether or not the young men should have been drinking, stealing and playing with a forklift that is clearly not a toy. Such an event also makes it crystal clear why proper forklift certification and training are so important.

Is There a Moral to the Story?

It was absolutely wrong for the group to have stolen the machine at all, let alone attempted to operate it while under the influence. But a similar situation can happen in the workplace when a perfectly sober employee is untrained or undertrained. Making sure that your employees have their forklift certification and receive the requisite training can save life and limb, and prevent your company from receiving serious fines or having legal trouble.

For more information about how to receive forklift certification training or training options for your employees, please visit at www.forkliftcertification.com.

What’s Next? – Monster forklift trucks. . .

On a bright, sunny April morning, LeCroy Career/Tech Center hosted the annual county tractor driving contest recently on their campus. Students from all over the county came to test their skills on the large machines and compete for prizes and bragging rights. A Jemison High school teacher, Brian Lucas said that the competition focuses on skills student are going to use in the agriscience field.

As the name of the contest would suggest, students are tested on their driving skills-but they are also tested on safety, parts and machinery. There is also a compact tractor contest that is beneficial for those interested in landscape work after they leave academia. There is a new category this year at the tractor driving contest: forklifts. This is the first year that a forklift program has been offered at LeCroy after a grant allowed them to purchase a new forklift.

How Does It Work?

The forklift test, which simulates the work done in a warehouse with tight turns, allows students to earn their forklift certification as well. Students taking part in this competition not only got the opportunity to show off their skills, but were given the chance to walk away with a valuable and necessary certification if they hope to obtain a position in any field that requires the use of a forklift.

Getting Students Ready for Future Careers

Forklift certification is vital when operating heavy machinery. Forklift certification is proof that the operator not only knows how to safely operate the machine, but is also aware of all safety procedures and the inner workings of the machinery.

The number of careers available that use heavy machines such as tractors, compact tractors and forklifts is growing exponentially. These students are getting a head start in a growing field. The students involved in these programs are serious about their future careers.

While driving tractors and heavy machinery may not seem like a great pastime in urban areas, competitions like this one can get more students interested in forklift certification and heavy machinery careers. Notes that such contests are supervised by forklift certified mediators who are able to take control in any situation, and who watch the students carefully to ensure that no dangers are present.

For more information about other ways to obtain forklift certification visit www.forkliftcerification.com

Toyota Material Handling of USA has long been based in California the Orange County City of Irvine, providing jobs to Southern California residents for some time. This particular plant manufactures and ships heavy machinery such as forklifts for Japanese equipment giant Toyota.

Over the past several years, and particularly since the economic meltdown, there’s been an increasingly troubling flux of jobs away from the Orange County area, as well as California on the whole. Toyota recently added itself to the list of California expats by planning a country-wide trek to a new office in Columbus, Indiana. The Midwest is home to many small company labor jobs that require forklift certification, so strategically, the move makes sense.

The new office already includes a staff of over fifty employees, working in a million-plus square foot facility. The new warehouse will continue the work handled at the Irvine site, including creating and exporting forklift parts and machinery to various locations throughout the United States.

Advantages for Columbus

What causes economic problems in one area creates jobs in another. Hundreds of jobs are expected to trickle into the Columbus warehouse during the closing of the Irvine facility. Toyota claims that moving the warehouse will allow all their production services to happen under one roof, allowing better response times for customers and a deeper financial funnel for the company overall.

What About Forklift Certification?

Forklift certification and training questions can be brought directly to the Toyota plant. Interested parties will be able to get a hands-on idea of how forklifts are assembled and how they work, which can lead to a greater understanding of forklift safety issues overall. While some Irvine area residents may be looking for new work, Columbus area residents will find new forklift certification opportunities at their doorsteps over the next several months.

The Toyota transition is expected to roll out in phases, effective immediately.

High School to Forklift Driver School for Canadian Students

Large forklift loading machinery onto a trailer

The students took part in class sessions which included over five hours of learning. These courses are part of a job preparedness program that gets students ready to handle a practical vocation about high school. The idea behind forklift certification for these students is to get them into a lucrative job after high school.

Do the Students Enjoy Forklift Certification?

Students seemed to enjoy the training, and received a forklift donated from a local machinery warehouse. Administrators of the program believe that students were excited about the opportunity, and motivated to learn hands-on techniques that will make them better candidates for jobs after their high school education is over.

What About US Programs?

Similar vocational programs in the United States offer students the chance to explore forklift certification training after-hours, or as part of their high school curriculum. Students interested in taking their training a step further may also participate in forklift train the trainer programs, which will allow them to someday administer training to future high school students, or to train in qualified workplaces.

For US students, forklift certification training is the key to job opportunities that may not exist otherwise. Vocational programs help students who aren’t necessarily planning on pursuing a college education get the training they need to operate a forklift or work in a related vocation.

Creating more after-school or during-hours programs for high school students could be a great asset to America’s future construction job force. Students are eager to learn to work with forklift and became forklift certified even before they begin forklift jobs in the construction or warehouse industries. For eager students, more vocational programs to teach this trade in US schools would be a blessing.

Tragedy in UK: Is forklift training to blame?

Recently, a Cardiff-based (UK) cargo company experienced a major tragedy. An employee had part of his leg amputated by being struck with a reversing forklift. During the investigation, it was uncovered that the forklift that was being used at the time of the accident had a defective reverse alarm and horn. The records on file with the company document that this had been a reoccurring defect for years.

Major implications

As you can imagine, accidents like these cause major havoc for the employees and families involved – not to mention the major financial burden that can result for the company. The accident resulted in a citation for the Cardiff company. These kinds of citations could shut down a business.

In the United States, OSHA exists to help ensure employees are safe. Forklift certification training is in place to make sure that people “work smart”, and that machines are always well-maintained and kept up-to-date. Employers must maintain equipment – alarms and horns that protect employees have to be working at all times. It doesn’t take Cardiff to show you what happens when safety and warning equipment isn’t maintained up to code.

Forklift Operator training IS important.

There are always excuses for why companies have not adequately trained their employees in the maintenance and operation of their heavy machinery. “It’s too expensive”, “We don’t have the time,” etc. But with deliverable forklift operator training kits, it’s very possible to get your employees the kind of training they need to stay forklift certified, and safe on the job.

Forklift operator training as mandated by OSHA is a great way to get discipline into the workplace. Creating safety and maintenance schedules, putting refresher courses on the calendar, and working with a forklift certification kit that has everything you need to get employees certified are the perfect ways to get OSHA-compliant. The loss of life or limb simply isn’t worth ignoring safety laws.