Heavy Machinery Comes with its Risks. Be Safe. Here’s What You Need to Know.
Forklifts have been around since the mid-1900s. Early versions were developed to a large extent because of the labor shortages caused by World War I. Companies needed to move heavy materials with significantly fewer workers.
Currently, there are close to one million forklifts in use in the United States, which can be expensive to maintain and are not always the best choice for moving loads through busy work areas. Check out our complete line of DJ Products warehouse equipment for low-maintenance, energy-efficient movers that are designed to maneuver heavy loads in tight areas.
The high cost of forklift accidents
OSHA estimates there are 85 forklift-related deaths in the U.S. each year. Forty-two percent of those deaths occur when someone is crushed by an overturning forklift. Approximately one of every six workplace deaths involves a forklift.
According to OSHA, there are 34,900 serious injuries and 61,800 minor injuries due to forklift accidents each year and almost half (46%) of them are forklift collisions where people are struck by moving forklifts, crushed between two forklifts, or trapped between a forklift and a stationary object.
If you’ve spent much time around forklifts, you’ve probably seen some close calls. Eventually, the odds catch up and there’s an injury. There’s a 10% chance that each forklift in your business will be involved in an accident this year. During their useful life, 90 percent of forklifts will be involved in at least one accident.
Choose the right equipment for the job
You can maximize manpower and improve the safety of your facility by using warehouse equipment that is specifically designed for moving heavy loads in tight areas. Contact one of our sales engineers to discuss the DJ Products warehouse equipment best suited to your needs.