Benefits of a Forklift Safety Monitoring System

There is no denying that forklifts have gone through enhancements over the last decade with enhanced Forklift Safety Monitoring Systems. These safety devices and systems display essential data in real-time to drivers, supervisors, and warehouse managers, assisting in cutting down injuries in the workplace costs and damage-related costs. To make use of the safety features as effectively as possible, understand how a forklift safety monitoring system operates and the many benefits they have. Read on to learn about the advantages of a Forklift Safety Monitoring System.

Over the last couple of years, Forklift Safety Monitoring Systems have garnered immense recognition with fleets, especially with the operators’ present systems. Fobs, swipe cards, and pin entries for drivers’ access control do not allow unauthorised folks from making use of forklifts. That considerably lowers the risk of accidents at the workplace at the hands of a driver who is not adequately trained or completely untrained. An Operator system makes drivers have greater accountability for their work, and that results in better productivity.

Now, you can install software and hardware products in your forklifts, like visual display screens (LCDs). You can utilise these for a checklist (pre-start-up) and give the drivers exact instructions and tasks they have to undertake before starting every shift to ensure they fulfill safety and compliance standards. For most Forklift Safety Monitoring Systems, if a driver gives even a single incorrect answer in the checklist (pre-start-up), the machine will automatically lockdown, preventing the individual from using it.

Keeping Visibility of Forklifts

When you operate a forklift, it is crucial to have complete visibility of everything around you to prevent any unpleasant injuries from happening in the space of work. That said, when a driver has to lift a load higher than 5 meters from the ground level, they cannot see much directly from their seats in the forklift. That considerably risks the merchandise falling off and putting the driver in danger and any other folks around the machine. When you install a camera as part of the forklifts’ safety monitoring system, that will provide the driver with a clear view of their racking and load. The Forklift Safety System would help them know their precise tire positioning when storing and lifting merchandise and safely storing all the goods. Furthermore, reversing camera technology is also available for better visibility, specifically for too crowded warehouses.

Install a laser-level system instead of cameras and position the lasers beam unit (similar to cameras) on top of the forklift tires. A laser line will eject from the beam towards the surfaces, allowing the driver to know the exact tire positioning. That provides the driver with greater control when they handle goods and creates a working environment that is very safe, knowing that the merchandise is placed correctly and will not fall on the pedestrians or driver.

Moreover, you can also boost visibility by integrating a blue strobe light in the forklift’s monitoring system. These lights are perfect for forewarning pedestrians of an oncoming forklift, particularly when standing in a blind spot or entering a storage container or an aisle. You can place a blue mark on the level ground about 3m behind a unit’s position to warn anyone around about the forklift’s presence.

Sequential Seat Belts Increase Safety

Most forklift models come pre-fitted with effective sequential seat belts that prevent the forklift from operating until the driver’s seat belt is fastened. Sequential seat belts have proven to reduce the likelihood of injuries and increase drivers’ chances of survival. Even if sequential seat belts are fitted, there’s still some encouragement needed for drivers to use them, so drivers must also be trained on the safety benefits.

The Benefit of an Intelligent Safety Monitoring System

An efficient Forklift Safety Monitoring System can measure travel time, temperature, fluid pressure, and other important parameters that the drivers observe on the forklift screen. With the help of this, a driver can notice any odd changes to the forklift data that might point to an upcoming repair or service requirement. Export reporting data of forklift usage to help with scheduling the machine, billing for driver and forklift jobs, and processing payroll. Battery failures are known to cause a few forklift breakdowns. Therefore, installing an efficient battery monitoring system in your forklift can help avoid this type of loss as the system provides critical data on battery usage.

A tracking system integrated into a forklift (like Global Positioning System) assists drivers, supervisors, and warehouse managers with the equipment’s location. Tracking of location can make forklift drivers have greater accountability for their work. They would be well aware that someone monitors their driving habits, boosts productivity, and saves precious as a direct result. Vital Data from the Forklift Safety Monitoring System that shows the usage of the forklift, driver, and location details can give much clarity on parties who are responsible. In case of an unfortunate incident, it can pinpoint core areas that require additional training to make sure they slash down the risk of repetition.

Wrapping it Up

To summarise, manufacturers have designed Forklift Safety Monitoring Systems to create a safe and secure workspace. The crucial data exported from such systems allows supervisors and warehouse managers to track safety and measure KPIs efficiently. Hence, a safety monitoring system is a must-have in every forklift in the workspace.

Click here to find out more about the hazards brought about in a workplace by forklifts.

Here is a video about the Forklift Proximity Alert System, one of the Forklift Safety Monitoring Systems available at Stream Peak.