Proactive strategies to prevent vehicle accidents

Statistics on workplace vehicle incidents

Recently published annual accident statistics in the UK through the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) highlight the problem.

• 1313 people were injured by being struck by a moving vehicle¹.
• Over 50% of these injuries were in the transportation, storage and manufacturing industries¹.
• 25 people died as a result¹.
• Only 2% of all reported accidents are a result of a moving vehicle but almost 20% of fatalities, which highlights the severity of the risk they pose¹.

The American Occupational Safey and Health Administration (OSHA) reports accidents, injuries and fatalities in greater detail than RIDDOR and has conducted a specific study into the risks of forklifts. These figures emphasize the scale of the situation.

• 33,800 estimated serious injuries every year².
• 75+ reported fatalities³.
• Over a third of these fatalities are pedestrians³.
• 46% of injuries are related to crushing, being struck or run over².

The situation in the EU is no different, with similar figures from Germany and Sweden painting a familiar picture.

Why are forklift trucks so dangerous?

There are many contributing factors that lead to the potential severity of forklift accidents. Their working environments, operational procedures and the functionality of the trucks themselves can all elevate the risk of accidents.

The vehicles:

• Heavy weight especially considering size: The substantial weight of forklifts, more so when loaded, translates to large amounts of energy in the event of an impact.
  
• High centre of gravity: Forklifts with unusual loads can have a high centre of gravity causing them to become unstable and increasing the risk of tipping over.
  
• Limited visibility: The design of forklifts often limits the operator’s visibility, particularly when carrying high loads, making it difficult to see pedestrians and obstacles.
  
• Unusual driving dynamics: Forklifts have a small turning radius and can turn very quickly, increasing the risk of accidents in confined and congested areas.
  
• Speed and acceleration: Although forklifts should not travel at high speeds, their acceleration and deceleration can be abrupt, leading to sudden stops that may cause loads to shift or fall and can rapidly change the driving dynamics.
  
• Lack of crumple zones: Unlike passenger vehicles, forklifts are not designed with crumple zones to absorb the impact in a collision. This means that in the event of an accident, the force of the impact is directly transferred to the operator and the structure or person involved.

Contributing factors to the severity of injury:

• Site congestion: Space is a premium, no more so than in logistics centres and manufacturing sites with high traffic in and around tightly spaced pallet racking and machinery.
  
• Unyielding protective structures: Some preventative measures such as steel or concrete barriers can heighten the chance of crushing and shearing injuries in the event of a pedestrian being trapped between a vehicle and barrier. Increasing the abruptness of a forklift coming to a stop, they can also increase the risk of the driver being injured.
  
• Inadequate operational procedures: That don’t consider the reality of site operations, peak conditions and the necessity for pedestrian ingress. Ultimately placing too many vehicles in an area or allowing pedestrians and vehicles to unnecessarily mix.
  
• Unrealistic driver targets: Can place the emphasis on speed over safety causing speeding and other unsafe driving habits.

What measures can be taken to reduce the risks of being injured by a forklift?

Assess the risks to your specific application and site. Be sure to involve all stakeholders so that any potential measures are considered and agreed to. Doing so is not only a requirement and cornerstone of good risk assessment but reduces the likelihood of agreed upon measures being circumvented in the future. After identifying the risk, it is good practice to apply what is called the “STOP strategy” - substitution, technical, organisational and personal measures.

• Substitution: Try to change the work conditions and environment in a way that removes the hazard situation. For instance, change factory layouts and material flows to reduce the need for traffic.
  
• Take technical/Physical measures considering global or regional standards and codes of practice such as; Safety barriers for physical segregation of pedestrians and vehicles and protection of key infrastructure and ancillary safety devices such as motion detection alert systems or strategically mounted mirrors for better vision.
  
• Organisational measures:

  Define a clear site traffic policy relating to rights of way, speed etc. – this will not only improve safety but increase operational efficiency.

  Signage for traffic flows and speed limits.

  Safey information for visitors.

  Inspect the forklifts daily and document the inspection.

  Inspect pallet racking and other critical infrastructure.

  Inspect safety barrier integrity.
  

• Personal measures/Training: 
  For drivers in correct operation of forklifts.
  For pedestrians in the correct use of walkways and gates within barriers and severity of hazards forklifts pose.
  For all employees on the reporting of risks and damage.

Key take aways to reduce forklift accident risks

Simple measures can make a significant difference to worker safety. Clear routines for maintenance, realistic operational procedures and effective training all play a crucial role in reducing risks. Combined with well-designed physical barriers and traffic management, these measures help separate people and vehicles, reduce the severity of incidents and support safer, more efficient workplace environments.

Sources:

¹ RIDDOR 2023-2024

² OSHA

³ U.S. Bureau of labor statistics