The damage caused by forklifts that are not handled with due care can be serious and costly
When the topic of forklift safety is discussed, the main emphasis tends to be placed (quite rightly) on human safety. As such, while the various industry bodies focussed on these matters all keep statistics regarding the injuries and fatalities caused by forklift accidents, figures regarding the impacts of these accidents on property are less easy to come by.
In the US, for example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) doesn’t require incidents that do not result in serious injury or death to be reported.
Property damage & its causes
That said, materials handling operations well understand the damage forklift accidents cause to property can be significant.
As OSHA notes, the top five types of forklift accidents include ‘rollovers’ and ‘falling loads’. Ranked first and third respectively (in terms of frequency), both types of accidents invariably involve damage to property.
“Personnel injury is certainly the most obvious and important factor, but forklifts can also cause damage to storage racking, to goods and to the trucks themselves,” says Gareth Clarke, head of safety, health, environment and quality, Jungheinrich UK.
Jungheinrich offers a range of solutions designed to minimise forklift accidents and subsequent property damage
“Doorways and roller shutters also often bear the brunt of damage when there is insufficient clearance for the mast.”
So, what are the main causes of these accidents and how can they be minimised?
“Driver error is a significant part of it,” Clarke continues. “Truck overloading risks tip-overs which can harm people, trucks and goods.”
He adds that simple non-observance of clearance heights and incorrectly deposited goods are also common causes of accidents.
“That said, these are not the only factors,” Clark says. “Poor visibility is a problem, as is restricted manoeuvring space which is a common factor in racking damage.”
Jungheinrich offers a range of solutions designed to minimise these types of accidents and subsequent property damage.
These include the addedVIEW 360° camera system, which provides the all-round visibility operators need to manoeuvre safely; curveCONTROL, which automatically adjusts the forklift speed when cornering; and zoneCONTROL, which uses digital ‘anchors’ placed at high-risk areas to automatically slow forklifts to a crawl when approaching these areas.
While these solutions are available on all the company’s latest models, some like the Pedestrian Recognition System can also be retrofitted to older forklifts.
Anti-crash safety systems
Given their sheer mass, it’s important to never lose sight of the damage forklifts can cause.
As Stephen Weston, managing director of Weston Handling puts it, when not handled properly they can easily become “battering rams”.
The CrashPad from Weston Handling can be fitted to fixed infrastructure, such as barriers, racking, railings, walls, and equipment
“They are a whole lot more, of course, and nowadays they are bristling with technology that is intended to make them more efficient and safer,” he says. “But they are, to varying degrees, battering rams that can cause massive amounts of damage to plant and personnel.”
Weston Handling has developed a series of Anti-Crush Safety Systems, including the ACKBelt (Anti-Crush Kick-Pad) and the CrashPad, to address this inherent risk.
“Both systems can be quickly and easily mounted to the outside of a pallet truck chassis or a fork truck counterbalance with adhesive or magnetic backing, and permanently fixed with screws through eyelets,” says Weston.
Designed to be fitted around the base of a pallet or stacker truck, the ACKBelt can be connected directly in parallel to the trucks existing, mandated Anti-Crush Button (ACB), mounted on the tiller head, effectively extending the ACB’s area of detection by more than 800%.
“The CrashPad works in the same way but is bigger and is designed to be fitted on the outside of the forklift’s counterbalance,” says Weston.
“But because forklifts do not have the equivalent of an ACB, they are fitted with a separate alarm system, with a Klaxon and Flashing Beacon being activated to alert the driver and personnel/management in the area that the forklift has struck an obstacle.”
Safety as a key business concern
For GemOne, forklift damage prevention is not something that should be addressed in isolation. Rather, it should be considered along with other key business concerns.
Cameras From Gemone ensure operators have improved visibility around their forklifts, particularly in blind spots
“One of the key differentiators of our approach is the emphasis on both prevention and productivity,” says Gaël Van Kerchove, GemOne’s chief product officer.
“We believe that investing in technology that enhances forklift safety doesn't just prevent accidents, but also leads to smarter, more efficient operations.”
GemOne specialises in telematics solutions, which provide real-time monitoring of forklift operations and allow businesses to track performance, monitor driver behaviour, and ensure compliance with safety protocols.
To further enhance workplace safety, the company also offers cameras for forklifts, which give operators greater visibility around their vehicles, particularly in blind spots or when manoeuvring in tight spaces.
Suitable for integration with broader telematics systems, these cameras reduce the likelihood of accidents and damage by providing operators with a clear view of their surroundings and ensuring they can safely navigate complex warehouse environments.
“Our systems provide businesses with data that helps identify inefficiencies, optimise fleet management, and ultimately, improve bottom-line performance,” Van Kerchove continues.
“Forklift safety should be a proactive focus for all materials handling operations, and we’re proud to offer solutions that support this crucial aspect of business success.”
"We believe that investing in technology that enhances forklift safety doesn't just prevent accidents, but also leads to smarter, more efficient operations."
The importance of fleet maintenance
Steve Coley, managing director of Transmon Engineering, says forklift accidents can also be the result of poor fleet maintenance.
Focussed on a consultative approach to safety, Transmon Engineering's products include AI cameras and proximity warning systems
“Areas of fleet management that are typically impacted by lack of proper maintenance include worn-out components such as brakes or tyres, or non-functioning equipment, such as lights and warning horns,” Coley continues, adding that poor maintenance can also be detrimental to productivity.
Given that Transmon Engineering has been providing bespoke systems and solutions for forklifts and materials handling equipment for almost 30 years, Coley’s point is well worth noting. For him, communication between supplier and client is critically important.
“We take a highly detailed, consultative approach to working with our customers to support their operational needs,” he says. “We tailor our solutions to match their requirements and ensure that forklift drivers, pedestrians, goods, and building infrastructure are safe and operationally efficient.”
Developed in-house and featuring market leading technologies, Transmon’s offerings in this space include Artificial Intelligence (AI) cameras, building zones, adaptive speed control, and proximity warning systems.
The right machine for the job
As Martin McVicar, co-founder and CEO of Combilift explains, it is also important that operations have the right machine for the job at hand.
Combilift's multidirectional C-series includes three-in-one forklifts that function as counterbalance, side loader, and reach truck
“Exceeding a forklift's lift capacity or using a traditional counterbalance forklift to handle long loads are examples,” McVicar says. “Unfortunately, it's still common to see regular forklifts carrying long loads overhead while navigating through tight spaces or racking. This is something we refer to as ‘aeroplaning’.”
“This practice can make the truck top-heavy. It means it can easily become unbalanced and pose a risk to the product, the warehouse safety, the operator, and anybody else in the vicinity.”
According to McVicar, the maintenance of safety standards while working with long or awkward loads is one area in which the company has invested heavily.
“We listened to the issues faced by customers and created a solution in the form of the multidirectional C-series, a three-in-one forklift which functions as a counterbalance, side loader, and reach truck,” he says.
This design allows it to work as a regular counterbalance, and then at the flick of a switch, to transform into a side loader. In this mode, it is able to navigate narrow aisles and doorways, keep its load low to the ground, and help to increase storage density by more than 50%.
Importantly, it does all of this without compromising safety. Regardless of load size, the operator always maintains visibility of both the direction of travel and the load.
“We’ve continued to develop and expand our multidirectional range to include the Combi-CB, pedestrian stackers, straddle carriers, mobile gantries and load carriers, as well as articulated VNAs,” says McVicar.
The emerging role of AI
As it has in numerous industries, AI has begun to play a role in forklift safety.
“Two particularly innovative solutions that can dramatically enhance safety are AI-based detection systems with proactive warnings and AI smart vision cameras,” says Donald Martindale, president of Panacea Aftermarket Co.
Panacea's Smart Vison AI system adds an extra layer of safety to monitor the warehouse environment
According to Martindale, the company’s Smart Vison AI system which adds an extra layer of safety by using advanced technology to monitor the warehouse environment, represents a game-changer for materials handling.
“These cameras enhance the visibility of forklift operators, especially in blind spots or areas with high pedestrian traffic,” he says.
“The smart cameras provide real-time visual feedback and warnings, allowing operators to better navigate tight spaces and avoid accidents.”
Meanwhile, the company’s AI-based detection systems with proactive warning capabilities provide real-time alerts to both forklift operators and pedestrians.
“By detecting potential collisions in advance, these systems allow operators to take immediate corrective action, thus preventing accidents,” says Martindale.
In addition, they help avoid product damage by alerting operators to obstacles in their path, reducing the likelihood of collisions with racks or other infrastructure.
“Together, these systems greatly improve overall warehouse safety,” Martingale adds. “They help reduce human error – a leading cause of forklift accidents – and protect both personnel and property from costly and dangerous incidents.”
Assistance systems
In some applications, like those in narrow-aisle warehouses, the application itself dictates the types of forklift damage which may be likely to occur.
Hubtex has developed Aisle Entry Assist, an assistance system which is ideal for use in narrow-aisle warehouses
“In these cases, the forklift trucks enter the racking aisles with minimum safety clearances, usually with forced guidance via guide rails,” says Michael Röbig, head of product management at Hubtex, a supplier that offers forklifts designed for such applications.
“The aisle is only 200 mm wider than the vehicle with the load, and there is only about 20 mm between the truck and the guide rails at the foot of the rack to ensure good guidance in the aisle.”
As a result, the space at the entrance is tight. To make it easier to drive the multi-directional forklift into the racking aisle, the guide rails in the entrance area are funnel-shaped to support the driver.
In these cases, entry via the guide rails is difficult, as there is a risk that the vehicle's load may collide with the racking system. Typical damage in such scenarios includes damaged entry funnels, collisions with the racking system or the load stored there, and damage to the vehicle.
As Röbig explains, Hubtex has developed Aisle Entry Assist, an assistance system which is ideal for use in applications like this, in which racking systems are accompanied by guide rails and guide rollers.
A patented system, it helps save money by minimising damage to loads, racking, and side loaders. On top of that, because it allows for the design of entry funnels that are less robust than would otherwise be viable, it makes further savings possible.
Telematics & safety
The final word regarding forklifts and the protection of load and facility goes to Robert O’Donoghue, VP marketing, EMEA for Hyster. For him telematics can play an important role in improving safety through visibility.
Telematics systems like Hyster Tracker have the capacity to decide who does/does not have access to forklifts
Systems that track many aspects of forklifts, from equipment diagnostics and utilisation analysis to operator performance and more, telematics provide management relevant information via desktops, laptops and mobile devices, and even have the capacity to decide who does/does not have access to forklifts.
“One important feature of telematics is the ability to restrict truck access to only operators with proper certification for that truck type,” says O’Donoghue.
“Every operator must swipe an individual access card with certification information encoded, or else they cannot start the equipment.”
Such systems also provide notifications when operators have certifications expected to expire shortly. Tracking truck information by the specific operator provides visibility to their travel locations, idle time and impact alerts.
Managers receive notifications when and where impacts happen and who was operating the truck – helping identify high performers who deserve recognition and those who may require more training.
“Additionally, employers can utilise the telematics system to limit truck performance based on operator experience and skill level,” O’Donoghue adds.
“For example, new hires might have their trucks capped at slower speeds to help reduce potential risk while more experienced operators can still operate the same truck at levels that allow maximum performance.”
In this way, like the various other products and strategies discussed above, they help ensure that accidents and their associated costs are minimised.
For more information on the products our contributors are bringing to protect your property, products, and plant, please visit this dedicated Virtual Showroom.
For this report we interviewed the following industry specialists:
Gareth Clarke
Head of Safety, Health, Environment and Quality
Jungheinrich UK
Gaël Van Kerchove
Chief Product Officer
GemOne