Knowledge

Forklift Pedestrian Safety: How to Plan Safer Traffic Flow

Forklift pedestrian safety starts with how traffic is planned inside the facility. A clear warehouse traffic safety plan can support forklift accident prevention by reducing unclear routes, unsafe crossings and mixed movement between people and vehicles.

In warehouses and production sites, forklift routes often cross areas used by operators, maintenance staff, visitors and temporary workers. Risk increases where visibility is limited, where vehicles turn or reverse, where pallets are staged, and where pedestrians need access to workstations, doors, packing areas or welfare spaces.

A safer layout helps people and vehicles move with less uncertainty. It should make walking routes clear, reduce uncontrolled crossings and protect areas where people work close to forklift traffic.

Assess forklift traffic risk

A forklift traffic plan should be based on real movement.

Walk the facility during normal working hours. Follow the forklift routes. Watch where people walk, where pallets are placed and where drivers need to turn, reverse or stop. Review the layout during peak activity, not only when the area is clear.

Pay extra attention to points where movement changes. These areas often carry higher risk because drivers and pedestrians have less time to react.

Typical areas to observe include:

Loading docks
Packing areas
Doorways
Racking ends
Vehicle crossings
Pedestrian entrances
Maintenance access points
Temporary storage zones

A layout that works on paper can still create risk if pallets block visibility, if pedestrians take shorter routes or if forklift traffic has increased since the layout was first planned.

Truck with load driving past a person on the other side of a pedestrian barrier, walking along a wall

Separate pedestrians and forklifts

The safest pedestrian route is separated from forklift traffic.

Full separation is not always possible in active warehouse and manufacturing environments. People need access to machines, packing stations, offices, welfare areas and service points. Forklifts need access to racking, goods-in, dispatch and production flow.

Where separation is possible, pedestrian walkways should be direct, visible and protected. A route that creates unnecessary detours is less likely to be followed. This is especially important in areas used by visitors, temporary workers or staff who do not work in the area every day.

Physical separation can include:

Pedestrian segregation barriers
Pedestrian gates
Topple Barriers
Dock gates
Marked and protected crossings

The layout should make it clear where people can walk safely and where vehicles are expected to move.

Pedestrian exiting a door protected by yellow safety barriers inside a warehouse, with a forklift passing

Control forklift crossing points

Crossings should be controlled, visible and placed where both drivers and pedestrians have clear sightlines.

A poor crossing location can create risk even if it is marked correctly. Avoid placing crossings directly after blind corners, close to forklift turning zones, behind doors or in areas where pallets are often stored.

A controlled crossing should:

Be visible from both directions
Give forklift drivers time to slow down
Keep waiting pedestrians outside the vehicle route
Guide pedestrians to one defined crossing point
Use gates where access needs to be physically managed
Use barriers to prevent uncontrolled entry into vehicle zones

A crossing is part of the traffic system. It should be planned together with vehicle routes, pedestrian routes, speed limits, visibility and access needs.

Set safe forklift speeds

Forklifts are often capable of travelling faster than the speed that is suitable in areas where people work or walk. The maximum speed of the vehicle should therefore not be treated as a safe operating speed for every part of the facility.

Speed limits should be set by zone. A wide transport aisle, a loading area, a blind corner and a pedestrian crossing do not carry the same level of risk. Visibility, turning movements, traffic frequency, floor conditions, load handling and pedestrian exposure all affect what speed is appropriate.

As practical guidance, WorkSafe Victoria recommends limiting forklift speed to walking pace, around 5–7 km/h, where pedestrians may be present. Other industry references often place high-pedestrian or high-risk zones around 3 mph, approximately 5 km/h. The exact speed limit should always be based on a site-specific risk assessment.

Speed limits should be clearly posted, enforced and reviewed when the layout changes. Where signs and routines are not enough, companies can consider technical controls such as speed-limiting devices or zone-based speed control to prevent forklifts from exceeding the permitted speed in defined areas.

Know floor marking limits

Floor markings are useful for guiding movement and showing intended routes. They can work well in areas with low traffic speed, good visibility and limited pedestrian exposure. But they do not provide physical protection.

In higher-risk areas, markings should not be the only control. This applies where forklifts pass close to people, where loads reduce driver visibility, where pedestrians wait near traffic routes or where vehicles turn, reverse or enter from aisles.

In these areas, workplace safety barriers may be needed to create a physical boundary between pedestrians and forklift traffic. Physical protection becomes more relevant when markings show the route but cannot reduce the exposure. This is common in areas with frequent forklift traffic, blind spots, large loads, mixed movement or limited space between people and vehicles.

Choose workplace safety barriers

Workplace safety barriers should be selected based on what they need to protect and what type of impact they may need to withstand.

In forklift traffic areas, barrier choice should consider:

Vehicle type
Vehicle weight
Travel speed
Load weight
Impact angle
Traffic frequency
Distance to pedestrians
Space needed for turning and handling

Forklift-rated barriers are relevant where the risk assessment shows a need for physical protection. They help create a stronger boundary than visual guidance alone.

Barrier planning should also avoid creating new risks. A barrier that blocks a natural route can push people into another exposed area. A gate in the wrong position can place pedestrians too close to turning forklifts. The full movement around the protected zone should always be considered.

Explore pedestrian barriers

Prevent unsafe shortcuts

People usually take shortcuts when the planned route is too long, unclear, blocked or placed away from the task. In a warehouse, this can quickly create uncontrolled crossing points.

Common causes include:

Walkways that do not connect to real destinations
Gates placed too far from the point of use
Barriers that protect one area but block another route
Crossings placed close to turning zones
Storage areas that block pedestrian routes
Temporary pallets placed inside walkways
Poor separation between packing areas and vehicle routes

Shortcut behaviour gives useful information. It often shows where the traffic plan needs to be adjusted so that the safe route also becomes the route people are most likely to use.

Review warehouse traffic safety

Forklift pedestrian safety should be reviewed when the operation changes.

New racking, new machines, changed goods flow, higher throughput or new vehicle types can all change the risk level. A route that worked before may become unsuitable when traffic volume increases or when visibility changes.

Regular review should include:

Current forklift routes
Current pedestrian routes
New crossing points
Blocked walkways
Damaged barriers
Changed storage patterns
Areas with repeated near misses
Areas where people and vehicles now mix

A modular protection system makes it easier to adjust the layout when the facility changes. Barriers, gates and protected routes can be extended or repositioned as traffic flow develops.

Axelent supports warehouse and industrial environments with modular systems for pedestrian routes, impact protection, machinery areas and exposed infrastructure. The system can be planned around traffic flow and adapted when operations change.