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Forklift Rollover — December 2006

What happened?
A veteran forklift operator with 20 years experience started his day justas he had often done, then soon realized just how fast things can change.  Dueto an oversized load, the operator was transporting a dumpster bin on the forksof his forklift while he was traveling in reverse. While in reverse, he hit acurb, causing the forklift to roll over onto its side.

The stunned operator was transported by ambulance to the hospital emergencyroom, where he was treated for a fractured leg. 

The operator understood the importance of wearing a seat belt and holding-onto brace for a fall. This awareness may have made the difference between a fracturedleg, and an even more significant injury.

What were the contributing factors?
While driving in reverse, the operator was unaware of his surroundings and didnot allow sufficient clearance between the forklift and other obstructions (suchas the curb). Operators on a forklift of this type are seated to the leftside of the forklift because of the placement of the controls. This layoutmakes it more comfortable to hold on to the Roll Over Protection System (ROPS)with the right hand and look over the right shoulder while driving in reverse. Thisposition, however, limits the user from fully knowing what potential dangers(like a curb) may lay to the left side of the lift.

What corrective action was taken? This operator had been trained several times throughout his years on campus andwas known to be an experienced operator and in compliance with all Cal/OSHA requirements.The operator will be retrained, and all operators will be reminded to be continuouslyalert and aware of their surroundings.

Lessons Learned

How can incidents like this be prevented?
  • Be aware of your surroundings. Check and recheck often.
  • Let other forklift operators know the lessons learned from this and otherincidents through open communication with their own department or other departmentsat the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley).
  • Co-workers who observe any near misses should report those incidences tothe forklift operator and to their supervisor. The intention of reporting theseincidences is not that the operator had the near miss and needs to be reprimanded,but that sharing experience and information may help prevent accidents beforethey happen.

Resources

EH&S Forklift Program Page
http://ehs.berkeley.edu/healthsafety/forklift.html

Forklift Operating Rules:
http://www.dir.ca.gov/Title8/3664.html

Operator Training Requirements:
http://www.dir.ca.gov/Title8/3668.html
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