VEHICLES AND FORK LIFT TRUCKS

• 10.01 - Basic industrial fork lift truck operation guidelines (Part A')
  
• 10.02 - Basic industrial fork lift truck operation guidelines (Part B')
  
• 10.03 - Basic industrial fork lift truck operation guidelines (Part C')
  
• 10.04 - Vehicle traffic in Textile Industry
  
  

Discription of chapter

Basic industrial fork lift truck operation guidelines (Part Α')

• ONLY licensed and certified personnel are authorized to operate and drive forklift trucks
  
• Use of an acoustic warning signal when moving backwards
  
• Use of a warning flashlight when in operation
  

Before using a fork lift truck or starting an operation, check:

1. The condition and pressure of the tire
   
2. The condition of brakes
   
3. The elevation mechanism
   
4. The warning signals equipment (the horn, etc)
   

• Precautionary measures:
  
  • There should be a site plan showing the standard routes of fort lift trucks available at workplace
    
  • Additional equipment has to be installed, where necessary
    
  • Always use the most suitable forklift truck for the job
    
  • The involved personnel should be adequately trained
    
  • All obstacles should be marked or removed
    
  • Furthermore, sensitive installations should be protected by means of bars or banisters
    

A remarkable number of accidents may be avoided if forklift trucks are equipped with a sheltered driver’s cabin. A sheltered cabin offers the following advantages:

• Protects the driver form possible injuries
  
• Prevents the ejection of driver in case of overturning
  
• Helps facing bad weather conditions
  
• Prevents body strain originating from working in areas with great variations in temperature
  
  

Basic industrial fork lift truck operation guidelines (Part Β')

• If one or more forklift trucks move inside a personnel-working area, a set of appropriate traffic safety rules should be defined and implemented
  
• The presence of personnel inside the standard forklift truck route should be avoided. If this is not practicable, additional safety measures have to be taken
  
• The presence or transport of personnel in of automobile equipment, should only take place at safe parts of the vehicle specially arranged for this purpose
  
• In case multiple operations during manoeuvring are necessary, the vehicle’s speed should be accordingly adjusted
  
• Operation of internal combustion engine equipment indoors should be allowed only where adequate room ventilation is provided
  
• Devices which prevent equipment operation by non authorized personnel (controlled keys)
  
• Braking mechanism equipped with a back up system
  
• Fire fighting system
  
• Visibility improvement equipment (mirrors, lights, etc)
  
• Headlights in order to work in dark areas
  
• Labelling which states the basic operation properties and ratings
  
  

Basic industrial forklift truck operation guidelines (Part C')

• In case vehicles are not designed for elevating people, this should be clearly mentioned. Personnel should be exclusively elevated by means of special vehicles having working platforms equipped with protective lattice or bars
  
• All personnel working in height should obtain reliable communication means and secure their safe return to the ground level. When people are elevated, the vehicle operator must always be at the control panel. Vehicle manoeuvring should not take place when moving on steep slopes
  
• Forklift trucks should move forward when driving on an upward slope and backward when driving on a downward slope. The load should maintain a slight inclination towards the vehicle. Reversing is considered necessary when the load is particularly large obstructing visibility
  
• The forklift truck is particularly unstable when moving on rough ground. Always ensure that the driving surface is smooth and solid
  
• Loads should never be carried at a dangerous height or with forks raised
  
• The load should be steady, balanced, properly secured and leaning on both forks equally
  
• Never drive a forklift truck in the vicinity of another vehicle
  
• Personnel elevation machinery should:
  
  • Be installed in a way that minimizes the need to raise various loads towards elevated persons
    
  • Prevent falling of various objects on elevated people (e.g. by means of a protective overhead lattice), as well as falling of people themselves, considering that the working platform space is limited
    
  • Unless absolutely necessary, avoid standing or working underneath elevated pendulous loads
    
    

Vehicle traffic in Textile industry

There is a danger from vehicles moving in all areas of raw material input or finished products output but especially in input of seed cotton, where farmers arrive with their own vehicles that they drive to feeding installations. All possible measures should be taken depending on the situation. Indicatively some measures follow:

• Substitute need for reverse motion where possible
  
• Where reverse motion is inevitable clearly indicate where it is allowed so that it is obvious for pedestrians
  
• Ensure that no other people exist where vehicles move reversing. Restrain the presence of people without any reason to be there
  
• Reduce the distance of reverse motion as much as possible
  
• Where visibility is low (e.g. due to dust or during the night shift) provide employees distinguishable clothing (e.g. phosphorescent)
  
• Properly train everyone involved
  
• Ensure that there is a properly trained person to guide and ensure no presence of pedestrians. Ensure a way of communication with the driver, so that the guide is always in a safe place and is always visible from the driver, who must be informed to stop immediately when losing site of the guide
  
• Increase the area of visibility of the driver. Vehicle mirrors leave blind spots low. Properly placed stable mirrors could solve the problem
  
• Place bumpers to ensure slow motion so that the above measures can be applied
  
• None of the above measures is enough by itself. Proper measures should be chosen and applied in combination