The Industrial Truck Association (ITA) and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) have formed an alliance, with the sole aim of protecting workers from forklift hazards.

OSHA administrator John Henshaw said thousands of preventable forklift-related injuries occurred each year in the USA.

"The alliance is designed to do something about that. We look forward to ITA's counsel and expertise in designing training and information products that will have a positive impact on the health and safety of workers," he said.

ITA president Dirk von Holt said the ITA was looking forward to working with OSHA regulators.

"The ITA has a long history of working with OSHA. We believe formalising this relationship is a major step towards increasing worker safety."

A joint statement said the alliance would:
* Promote training based on OSHA's operator training standard;
* Develop safety information for possible inclusion in operator manuals and distribution through online, print and electronic media; and
* Provide speakers, exhibit or appear at events such as ITA's annual or spring meetings, and participate in forums on issues about forklifts.