Joe,

What is the quickest and easiest way to access the stats you mentioned above search wise. Good stuff, I would like to keep tabs on that as it goes by each year.

If you go on You Tube and type in "forklift truck" you will see why there are so many accidents. 99 out of 100 of the videos are jerks messing around on trucks.

It would also be interesting to see what number of fatalities could be linked to lack of training. or inadequate training.

I would hazard a guess that the figure would be high.

It would be interesting to see the fatality statistics from 2000 to date. Reason is, the goal of the PITOT standard was to reduce the numbers of fatalities (107) and injuries (96.000) by 10%. So the numbers above would have reached/exceeded the goals set out in regards to this - at least in fatality.

Along with the fatalities 2000 to date, it would be great to see if anyone had the supporting info for lift truck-related injuries during that same time frame- to see if that goal was met (96,000 to 86,400).

Don't want to bust anyones bubble or take any one fatality lightly but in '95 or '96 the number of US forklift related fatalites was 80. One could argue that from then to 2005 the rate increased. However, if one averages the 4 year period from 2005 thru 2008, it is 80 or relatively unchanged over the last 12/13 years. One could equate the drop in 2007 & 2008 can be due to drop forklift usage that paralleled the drop in the economy.

No doubt training and the other safety related features on or available for today's forklifts have kept the number from increasing beyond this point.

can some of this decrease in fatalities be due to equipment safety improvements. back up alarms, load backrests, overhead guards, seat belts and in some cases tilt and lift limiting and stability systems? i am sure there are more but my brain is tired. "devils advocate"

Thanks joesph_h.
That looks like a considerable and a really statistically significant decline. I think if the "curve" continues, into 2010, the numbers looks to be a 1/2 of what it was in 1998, which was the year before mandatory operator training became effective, if I remember correctly.

I think all operators, and the trainers deserve a piece of "safety cake" for this result.
Maybe the effort really is worth while after all.