Forklift technology has come a long way. Manufacturers now are building vehicles with in-built safety features to reduce accidents through automatic deployment of stability devices.

Some lift trucks are now equipped with automatic levelling measures, while others feature memory functions to improve accuracy in repetitive tasks.

Lift truck technology had been virtually static for several decades but, since the early 1990s, improvements have increased dramatically. These changes will undoubtedly reduce injuries and deaths, but that does not mean forklift users can abandon quality training.

Regardless of how much technology is packed into a forklift, operators must still understand their machines. They must learn general stability parameters, the properties of propane and the inherent danger of batteries. A forklift is a tool when used properly, but a weapon if used improperly.

According to the US Bureau of Statistics, most forklift accidents happen to operators aged between 35 and 55 years old, and they are usually the most experienced operators. The ability to operate a forklift is no measure of skill. Many accidents are preventable, if only the operator possessed some simple information.

There is an old saying that knowledge is power; knowledge also reduces lift truck injuries.

Wayne Chornohus is a forklift consultant with Hunter Industries Ltd. He brings more than 20 years of experience in the forklift and training industries to the Forkliftaction.com community.