Danny Maron, owner/trainer of Ideal Forklift Training in Canada's national capital, is an independent consultant, providing the education lift truck operators require, to businesses and government, to minimise the chance of incidents in the workplace. Before founding Ideal in 2000, Danny was a trainer at Canada's largest forklift dealer.
Years ago, sit-down forklifts were devoid of any overhead guards. Operators were required to wear hardhats to protect their heads from falling loose boxes on pallets. Although not an inconvenience, some injuries were reported, and something had to be done.
Overhead guards were implemented to protect the operator from these smallish loads hitting them directly on the head, which reduced head injuries and made the operation of forklifts a more pleasant experience. As a result, operators these days are not required to wear hardhats, unless it is company policy and procedure. It is so important to protect the operator from these mishaps, all sit-down forklifts, regardless of where they are built, must have this overhead guard in place when the truck is sold. And at least in Canada, if not most other countries in the world, it is illegal to operate a forklift unless the overhead guard is in place.
That was a real positive for the industry, and injuries due to falling loads on operators' heads were virtually eliminated, unless the load fell some distance, and that load was beyond the overhead guard's strength. A vast improvement regarding safety for the industry, and a benefit for all the operators.
However, with everything good, there is often a bad. The bad in this case was in a rash of tipover tragedies that caused death to those who had chosen to jump out of a tipping forklift, and were crushed by the overhead guard. Eventually, training became mandatory, hoping to reduce these violent deaths by providing instruction as to what the operator must do in the case of a tipping forklift. Some listened, and others did not, and unfortunately many of those who did not are not with us today.
So the industry made a decision to help protect the operator, but on the other hand, tragic deaths resulted from their improvements.
And this brings me to another improvement that I have been noticing lately in the lift truck industry that may cause incidents, but maybe not to the level that we have seen with the employment of the overhead guards. This one has to do with the narrow-aisle reach trucks.
In my 15 years in this industry, I have noticed an evolution in the controls of this class of vehicle. At first, steering wheels were the standard apparatus for steering, with very few having made the transition to tillers. Now tillers are commonplace, and I believe everyone is grateful. Secondly, the three control levers have been replaced by a confusing, for some, joystick or multi-function control lever, to maintain the operator's hand on the lever at all times without the need to 'let go' the speed/direction lever to grab another lever to work the hydraulics. The transition was lengthy, in my opinion, but it appears that most, if not all, manufacturers have taken this route.
When I started, there was one brand that I was aware of that incorporated two pedals on the floor of the truck, required for its operation. One pedal in particular governed the use of the hydraulics, allowing the operator to remove one foot from the left pedal, preventing any miscues in the joystick's operation. Other companies which had/have chosen to stay with only the left pedal, which functioned both as a brake and power pedal, allowed the operator to exit the reach truck and work the controls from afar. This did not make any sense to me as I believe that it is important that the operator stay within the confines of the cab as he/she works the hydraulics of the truck.
Lo and behold, other manufacturers began requiring operators to stay within the cab as well when working the controls, and I found this a sensible solution to safe operation of these powered industrial lift trucks. However, in my teachings, when it comes to sit-down forklifts, I have always stressed that the operator must put the forklift at least into neutral, and better yet, use the parking brake when using the control levers. The industry and government do not want the operators to drive the forklifts while using the hydraulic controls, except in some particular instances.
So when I taught staff on how they should use the control levers on the reach truck, I always asked them to remove their left foot from the deadman pedal, making the reach truck immobile, in case they accidentally pushed the multi-function handle, instead of lift. I have seen cases where individuals lunged forward in error, and caused some minor damage (thankfully not worse) and learned very quickly why I had taught them this practice.
Now that most manufacturers have chosen to force the operator to stay within the cab when working the hydraulics, with their left foot on the pedal in order to have the hydraulics function, movement of the truck, forward and reverse, becomes a possibility. Instead of allowing the operator to immobilise the reach truck when working the controls, the truck is very much 'alive', and I worry that these random incidents may occur.
When the industry makes improvements regarding safety, it seems that there is a fallout that creates other problems. Maybe a two-pedal solution is the answer, allowing the operator to refrain from having the reach truck move forward and reverse when operating the hydraulics. I am not an industry insider; I strictly educate individuals on the safe and proper operation of powered industrial lift trucks, but maybe some engineers out there who are reading this will pay attention to my comments - and the ramifications if someone pushes, instead of lifts. One incident, one death is too many, and hopefully there will be a compromise on how we can look after both concerns, with one solution. Because everyone wants to return home safe at the end of the day, and everyone wants to feel like a winner.