By Keir Gibson

Forklift truck accidents don’t necessarily account for most of the accidents that occur within the workplace, but they certainly do account for a fair few, and injuries are constantly occurring in factories and warehouses due to problems associated with this important piece of machinery.

The causes of these particular problems will vary. In most cases you will find that an accident is caused due to a minor fault by the driver. In other occasions, however, some type of technical problems or equipment failure can lead to an issue. Whatever the case, any accident suffered could lead to serious injury or even death.

Before being able to drive a forklift truck it is absolutely necessary for anyone to get a license and to get fully trained up. If a driver has failed to get trained to the necessary levels or if they do not have a license to actually operate the forklift then this is something that could cause an accident. In these types of incidents the company itself is going to be at fault.

An accident may also occur simply because the operator has failed to stay in line with safety guidelines. For example, if they drive too quickly then this could quite easily lead to a problem. Careless driving can also be at fault and this is often caused as a result of horseplay done between work colleagues. In fact, the majority of accidents are likely to be caused by an error by the operator.

This, however, is not always going to be the case. There are always going to be occasions where the driver is not at fault themselves at all. An example of this would be the actual working environment in which they are operating the forklift. For example, if a company moves its operations then it will lead to design a specific space that is appropriate for the needs of the forklift. If this is not the case then accidents can always occur.

For example, if there is inadequate lighting then this is likely to have an impact, especially when it comes to seeing obstacles that will end up obscured, when they would otherwise be clear to see. Having blind spots where it is difficult to see what is around the corner is also a problem and these are generally caused by a poorly designed workspace. The actual width of the aisle is also going to cause a problem in many cases because they will cause problems when it comes to maneuvering in tight spaces.

When the equipment doesn’t function as it should do, this is also likely to lead to problems. Forklifts should always have a working horn and also a backup alarm that can be used in order to notify any nearby pedestrians and workers that there is a forklift in operation.

At the same time, a decent set of tyres also need to be fitted. The tyres fitted will certainly depend upon the surface that the vehicle is being used on. Improper tyres can have an impact upon the ability of the driver to properly manoeuvre the vehicle.

About the Author: Keir Gibson writes for Carrs Solicitors. Carrs Solicitors in Bolton are specialists in

injury at work claims

. Visit http://www.carrssolicitors.com/ to help you claim compensation if you’ve suffered a

forklift truck accident

.

Source:

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