Discussion:
Dock worker safety

We have had a safety issue raised while enforcing the 'seatbelts must be worn at all times' rule.
Our operators have stated that they will not wear them due to the risk of accidently driving off the wharf edge and having to escape quickly from the cabin as the machine sinks.
There is a 10km/h speed limit and a 200mm (8 inch) square reinforced concrete barrier along the edge of the wharf, so 'accidently' driving off seems unlikely, but I was wondering if anyone has any links to studies or data that we can use to confirm the assumption that a forklift would not go over this barrier at this speed?
I would prefer not to set up some barriers and run forklifts into them ourselves if possible!
The forklifts range from 16 tonners down to a 2 tonner.
Thanks in advance
Dave
  • Posted 11 Jan 2016 12:20
  • Discussion started by Fruitbat
  • Western Australia, Australia
Showing items 1 - 7 of 7 results.
I think yes, Stam is saying the right thing. There's nothing wrong in using the one.

legisocial.fr
  • Posted 21 Jan 2016 23:46
  • Reply by DavidGutierez
  • Colorado, United States
@Edward T - 1.) Where have you been? Missed your "unique' posting & mostly informative posts. Trust all is well with you and your dog.
2.) Just a little tweek to your post- the average walking speed of people is 3.5 mph. Worked in product development of A-C class III products in the 70's and later with other companies (like Raymond) in the development and private label agreement of Mitsubishi Class III, low lift, walk behind, battery powered trucks. You will find that the top travel speed of just about every manufacture these units have a make speed of 3.5-3.6 mph when empty - ~ 2.9 with load.

Just a side note I walk every other day & have since 2007 on an indoor track (part of my program to get at least 10K steps in every day) and my averaging walking speed is 3.1 mph over a continuous 45 minute walk (fast paced for me & most other folks on the same track -some blue haired people there with me). Plus, I don't have long legs and when some one asks me "whatcha' up to", my pat answer is 5' 7" and stopped. That is a good thing as it means I'm not shrinking yet. With 7 decades, 1 year & 21 days on this planet that ain't too bad.

Now when I actually worked & received a pay check for a living - there were some people that really walked fast once a day. They were labeled members of the 501 Club and you better get out of their way when the clock says 5:01 PM - they probably were going 5.5mph+. They are easy to identify as they are most always just sitting at their work stations around 8:01 AM to 8:15 AM & booting up their computer.
  • Posted 16 Jan 2016 22:26
  • Modified 16 Jan 2016 22:36 by poster
  • Reply by johnr_j
  • Georgia, United States
we usually have the idea that when pedestrians (at all) are 'present', the maximum vehicle travel speed should be equal to the travel speed of the pedestrian. people walk at about 5.5 mph when they " have a purpose" (like heading to the bathroom).
about the driver's point. they miss the idea that the overhead guard is the reason they have an operator protection system [of which "seat belts" is a component] The goal is not 'to hold them on the truck when it stops from 40 mph', like in a car. The OHG will be moving faster than they are, when it runs off into the water, and will be what harms them. They would be better off with inflatable vests all the time when operating near the water, imnsho.
  • Posted 15 Jan 2016 23:05
  • Reply by edward_t
  • South Carolina, United States
"it's not rocket surgery"
Thanks everyone for your replies.
After consulting with the local OHS regulator it was found that there is no legal way to risk assess that seatbelts are not required, therefore that part of the argument is gone. Seatbelts are compulsory, end of story. We will be putting a seatbelt cutter and window breaker into every fork instead.

For the issue of preventing a fork going into the water, does anyone have any data that would suggest a speed that the forklift would be stopped by a 8 inch high square edged kerb?
Thanks
Dave
  • Posted 15 Jan 2016 10:48
  • Reply by Fruitbat
  • Western Australia, Australia
personally and professionally speaking
the amount of time your talking about here is a second or two because once the operator realizes the lift is going over it only takes a second to reach over and push the button or pull the latch and thats it.

in more cases than not the operator has always gotten injured or killed jumping off a lift trying to escape it if it turns over or goes off a dock, if he does not then he is one lucky person.

if there is that much risk of the lift going over the edge i would suggest putting something place to prevent that first before relying on human intuition and ability or making your own accessments and circumventing OSHA regulations.
  • Posted 15 Jan 2016 05:34
  • Modified 15 Jan 2016 05:36 by poster
  • Reply by Jplayer
  • North Carolina, United States
John Player Jr
_________________
LiftOne, LLC
Charlotte, NC
Email: jplayer@liftone.net
Maybe you could tie one of those seat belt cutters the fire department uses in the cab?
  • Posted 15 Jan 2016 04:29
  • Reply by stam
  • Ontario, Canada
I once had the same query, trucks being used on a dockside handling boats into the water. Together with an UK H&S Officer, we agreed that if a risk assessment suggested that the hazard of falling into the water exceeded the risk of overturning, with the consequent danger of being trapped in the cab of a sinking truck, it was better to agree that, when operating close to the quay, it was permissible to not wear belts, provided that, elsewhere, where there was no danger of falling onto the water, belts were used.
The only problem then is policing the policy.
  • Posted 15 Jan 2016 02:55
  • Reply by Pusey
  • Somerset, United Kingdom

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