Untrained forklift operators endanger employees, put employers at risk of substantial fines, and can result in higher insurance costs for employers. Forklift related accidents are responsible for approximately 100 fatalities and more than 36,000 injuries per year in the United States, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Forklift accidents are the second leading cause of fatalities in the private-sector workforce.
OSHA estimates that 25 percent of the forklift accidents are due to a lack of training.
Most of the injuries and fatalities are easily avoidable and occur from “people not knowing what they’re doing and how the vehicle operates,” said Pat Ostrenga, a compliance assistance specialist for OSHA. Untrained operators put themselves in a variety of dangerous situations that trained operators would avoid, he said.
“Loads shift and land on top of them,” he said. “People ride on the forks, using them as a step ladder, and they tumble off and get killed.”
In addition to deaths and injuries, the mistakes can cost employers heavy fines and increase their insurance and future training costs.
“Past accidents and OSHA violations are definitely something we consider in determining a policy,” said Ken Muth, spokesman for Madison-based American Family Mutual Insurance Co.
That can mean higher insurance rates in addition to additional required investments in safety programs for a company with a history of safety violations.
“If a potential insured (company) requests workman’s compensation, then our agents will investigate prior training programs and loss programs to minimize the amount of accidents that occur,” said Terry Pursifull, commercial farm/ranch claims administration manager for American Family.
OSHA has investigated many accidents in Wisconsin in which untrained operators drove in areas unsuitable for forklifts, over uneven ground, causing it to roll over and crush the driver, according to accident reports. Untrained drivers also tend to turn too sharply, causing roll overs. Other accidents involve over-loaded forks obstructing the view of the operator, who then runs over another employee passing by.
OSHA standards require businesses to provide training programs that teach operators about vehicle limitations, including load capacity, stability, visibility and steering.
OSHA also requires that training consist of formal instruction, practical training, and regular evaluations, which must be kept on file where investigators can see them.
“Companies can train their own employees or use an outside source if they don’t have the resources,” Ostrenga said. “The bottom line is that operators must be trained, records must be kept, and they must be evaluated every three years.”
Untrained forklift operators can bring serious fines to their employer – up to $70,000 per violation of the standard.
OSHA sends 15 regulators around southeastern Wisconsin to inspect training. The average fine issued in the region is $1,200 per violation, according to Ostrenga. The severity of the fine largely depends on three factors: the frequency of the violation, the severity of exposure, and the employers’ knowledge of the violation.
Each year, the regional OSHA office issues about 15 fines of more than $100,000, and it’s not unusual for a large site to be fined over $1 million, Ostrenga said.
“The reality of the 21st century is that as companies have a more trained and specialized workforce, the higher the need is for their employees’ safety because of the amount of money it costs to train them, and how hard it is to replace them,” he said.
