SafeWork NSW has launched a week-long fork lift safety blitz after three workers were killed and more than 1,300 were injured in two years.

The blitz is part of SafeWork’s ‘Take forking seriously’ program aimed at reducing deaths and injuries from forklifts and will see inspectors visit Sydney businesses to check they are meeting safety and licensing laws.

Between July 2014 and July 2016, 1,355 workers were injured in forklift incidents, which tragically included three fatalities, and cost the NSW workers compensation system more than $30.5 million.
Executive Director of SafeWork NSW, Peter Dunphy said too many workers were being injured and killed in incidents involving forklifts.

“Despite the inherent dangers of forklifts in the workplace, we strongly believe incidents can be reduced,” Mr Dunphy said.

In March 2018, inspectors checked that Sydney businesses are complying with safety and licensing laws as well as outlining some of the support available to improve forklift safety.

During 2017 four NSW businesses were prosecuted by SafeWork NSW and fined a total of $835,000 for incidents where workers were injured or killed by a forklift.

Truck driver, Rami Eayla suffered a fractured leg when he was struck by glass panels that were not adequately restrained on a forklift operated by an unlicensed forklift driver at City Projects Pty Ltd.

Mr Dunphy said businesses should have a traffic management plan that separates pedestrians and vehicles to help prevent incidents.

“A traffic management plan should include signage, ‘no go’ zones, use of pedestrian walkways, and exclusion zones during loading and unloading.

“Businesses should also ensure forklift operators have a current and valid licence, and always wear a seat belt.

“At the end of the day, safety is everyone’s responsibility. All workplaces have an obligation to help prevent more workers from being injured or killed on the job.”

MLA Holdings takes forklift safety seriously. That is why we agree that all forklift operators must have acurrent and valid licence and always wear seat belts. MLA encourages businesses to have traffic management plans to ensure forklift operator and pedestrian safety.

MLA FleetControl is a fleet management system that restricts the use of equipment to only authorised
operators.

For further forklift safety information contact MLA Holdings on 131 652 or www.oemmlaholdings.com.Information for this article was sourced from  www.safework.nsw.gov.au.

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