New safety video shows dangers of having passengers on forklifts

Vancouver, British Columbia — A new forklift safety video illustrates why the equipment’s operator should be the only rider.

The animation, produced by the Workers’ Compensation Board of British Columbia, details an incident in which a young worker at a rebar manufacturing facility was seriously injured after falling off a forklift while riding on the side of the equipment. He was run over by the forklift.

“Riding as a passenger on a forklift is prohibited in most cases,” WorkSafe BC says. “It can expose workers to dangers such as falling off, being struck by objects, or being crushed between the forklift and another object.”

The video also points out that:

• The employer didn’t have a joint health and safety committee for the worksite, as required.
• The forklift manufacturer’s instructions, which stated that passengers shouldn’t ride outside the cab, weren’t followed.
• The employer didn’t ensure the worker received appropriate training on operating a forklift.
• The employer failed to provide additional required training to the worker when he became a forklift assistant.

In the United States, Section (m)(3) of OSHA’s standard on powered industrial trucks (1910.178) states that “unauthorized personnel shall not be permitted to ride on powered industrial trucks. A safe place to ride shall be provided where riding of trucks is authorized.”

OSHA requires forklift training programs to include formal instruction, practical training and a workplace performance evaluation.