One of the big problems with forklift safety is that we have an inherently unstable heavy lift device with nothing like the safety factors required for cranes and lifting slings et cetera - in fact if a forklift were designed to just comply with the international standards it would have virtually no safety factor at all with the load at full height or when travelling empty. We then compound the issue by wanting to maximise storage within a given building area by demanding the narrowist possible aisle widths and maximum racking height. This is regardless of the fact that to operate in those narrow aisles we have to compromise safety further by for example requiring three wheel machines. and we also compromise safety once we take racking height above around 4.5 - 5.0 metres when we are using counterbalance or reach trucks.

What we all need to do is take a step back and really analyse the hazards and carry out a thorough risk assessment.