Forklift Accidents

Taking Stock Takes Tragic Turn
Tasked to take stock, a worker had squeezed into a gap between racks of goods to take count. In a tragic turn of events, he was crushed to death when a forklift pushed the racks closer.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) immediately instructed the occupier to stop all operations in the premises. Investigation has commenced and is still in progress. The occupier was also instructed to conduct risk assessment on all types of work and develop safe work procedures.

Toppled Forklift Takes a Life
The second day on the job sadly marked the end of a young forklift driver. The 25-year-old worker was killed instantly when the forklift he was operating toppled off a ramp.
The Ministry of Manpower immediately instructed the occupier to stop all forklift operations in the premises. Investigation has commenced and is still on-going.


Worker Ran Over by Forklift
A short nap near a vehicle access road (part of a T-junction) by a 30-year-old worker, turned fatal when he was run over by a forklift. The worker, a painter/grinder, who was lying next to a steel fabricated block died on the spot.
The occupier was instructed to review all forklift operations and plant maintenance in the yard. Investigation is still on-going.

Advisory Note - Eight Safety Tips for Forklifts
(Please note that the advisory note is provided for the benefits of enhancing workplace safety and health, in no way the information is to be misconstrued as implying any liability on any party)

Forklifts are powerful machines that if handled improperly can turn into deadly weapons. Here are eight tips to bear in mind for the safe handling of forklifts:

1. Check to ensure that the forklift driver is properly qualified to operate a forklift and has undergone all mandatory training before employment.
2. Undertake all safety procedures including pre-use checks before starting to use the forklift.
3. Avoid shock-loading/over-loading forklifts.
4. Do not use forklifts for the wrong purposes; as bulldozers, or elevators, for example.
5. Never drive an unloaded forklift with the forks raised and drive at a safe speed.
6. Never disable the safety features such as seat safety switches and reversing beepers to avoid annoyance. Regular forklift maintenance must be carried out.
7. Access routes for workers and forklifts must be clearly marked and separated whenever practicable.
8. There must be proper work coordination to ensure that materials or objects handled by the forklift do not pose hazard to other workers.

To ensure that comprehensive risk assessment and proper safety measures are in place for forklift operations, the MOM's Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) inspectors will be intensifying their checks on forklift operations with effect from 10 July 2006.

Click on the following to read the MOM press release on forklift operation:
http://www.mom.gov.sg/PressRoom/PressReleases/20060703-MOMtargetsforkliftoperationstoimproveworkplacesafety.htm
The Workplace Safety and Health Advisory Committee (WSHAC) has designed a checklist for efficient and safe forklift operation. Click the following to download the checklist:
http://www.mom.gov.sg/NR/rdonlyres/76133C9E-00E6-4A32-94B7-232AEB9D3932/10600/Checklistonforkliftoperations_Jun2006.pdf

From Ministry of Manpower, Singapore in the OSH Alert dated 6 July 2006

Lorry Crane Topple

Fatal Accident Involving A Lorry Crane
A fatal accident took place at a construction site in early 2006 when a lorry crane was deployed to transfer reinforcement bars from a trailer into an excavation.
During the lifting process, the lorry crane lost its stability and toppled onto the bank of the excavation. The lorry crane operator was pinned by the falling rebars that were loaded on the bed of the lorry crane. He was conveyed to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.



Advisory Note (Please note that the advisory note is provided for the benefits of enhancing workplace safety and health, in no way the information is to be misconstrued as implying any liability on any party)

1. Under the WSH (Risk Management) Regulations, comprehensive risk assessment shall be conducted for all work processes to eliminate or control risks. For lifting operations, risk assessment shall be conducted to evaluate the types of equipment (such as cranes) appropriate for the intended lifting operations, afterwhich safe work procedures to be developed and implemented for use of that equipment.
2. The primary function of a lorry crane is to facilitate the loading and unloading of materials/goods within close proximity to the lorry crane itself. Occupiers and employers should ensure that lorry cranes are used for this intended purpose.
3. The operation of all cranes and lifting machines must adhere to the manufacturers’ safety guidelines. If the crane or lifting machine’s outriggers cannot be extended as per manufacturer’s specifications due to space constraints, alternative methods like re-positioning the crane to a more spacious locations or the use of other types of cranes (such as crawler crane) without the need for outriggers should be considered.

Article from Ministry of Manpower, Singapore on OSH Alert, dated 30 Oct 2006