Forklift Lurches Forward
Killing Loading Dock Worker

A 57-year-old warehouse worker for a gypsum company was helping to load drywall onto a flatbed truck when an industrial forklift driven by a co-worker suddenly lurched forward crushing him against the truck frame. Each truck is loaded from the side, the forklift approaching the truck perpendicularly. The man was standing in front of the forklift in a 3-foot narrow space between it and the semi-trailer, positioning spacer strips of drywall on the trailer bed. The forklift driver was helping with this task, then mounted the forklift again to adjust the load. Normally the parking brake is set whenever the driver leaves the forklift.

When the driver returned to his forklift he apparently released the parking brake and had insufficient pressure on the service brake to disengage the transmission, causing the machine to jump forward. To raise or adjust the forks, either the parking brake or the service brake must be applied to disengage the transmission. Failure to use either one of these brakes will result in immediate forward or reverse movement of the forklift when the gas pedal is pushed. The warehouse worker was killed instantly from massive internal injuries.

#1 Employers should establish safe loading procedures with powered industrial forklifts in accordance with regulations, 29 CFR 1910.178 (m).

—Workers should not stand in a narrow space between a forklift load and another vehicle

—Operator error or mechanical malfunction may set the machine in motion and injure workers.

—An idling forklift should be parked parallel to other vehicles whenever possible

—Adequate supervision should be provided to ensure that safe loading procedures are followed.

#2 Employees should follow safe working procedures when operating an industrial forklift.

—Proper procedure is to lift and balance the load with the parking brake set, releasing this brake only when the service brake is applied and movement of the forklift is desired.

—The parking brake should always be set when someone is in front of the machine, and released only when it is clear that no one is in danger.

—Before leaving a forklift, one should lower the load, then set the parking brake.