By this point, we all know the OSHA facts in regards to forklifts. You’d be hard pressed to find a warehouse or job site where they’re not rattled off again and again at safety meetings or posted in the high traffic areas for forklift operators to see throughout the day. In an industry where one accident can result in widespread impact, the warnings bear repeating to keep operators from becoming complacent.

As OSHA states, 70% of all reported accidents could have been avoided with the proper safety precautions. These accidents cost employers and average of $48,000 per single work-related injury and $1,390,000 per death. One in six of all workplace fatalities in the U.S. are forklift-related. These are the facts safety managers and company leadership keep conveying to their employees. They may not remember the specifics, but the gist of it is that these accidents are costly yet preventable.  

In light of this, many companies focus on driver training and a “safety-first” mentality. The idea, of course, being that a more competent and skilled driver will be lower risk when it comes to accidents. It makes sense in theory, but this is still an industry in which job sites are fast-paced and slightly unpredictable. Add to that the handling of large (sometimes unstable) loads and the degree of difficulty becomes that much higher.

At OE Attachments, we took a different approach to operator safety. Instead of asking how to make a smarter driver, we started asking “How do we make a smarter vehicle?” The answer to that question is our brand new Forklift Safety Device (FLSD), a breakthrough in forklift safety technology.

Using a system of sensors and cameras that are installed onto the forklift, all data is transmitted back to the driver via a touchscreen monitor mounted inside the forklift cab. The most important piece of data operators will see is the real-time calculation of residual load capacity while stationary or in motion (OE Attachments patented technology). This greatly reduces the likelihood of a forklift tipping over or a driver incorrectly estimating available load capacity—two major reasons for forklift accidents.

Our Forklift Safety Device also monitors, senses, and responds to external dynamic factors including acceleration, speed, ground slope, drop-offs, and other conditions. It can also identify non-visible obstacles and hidden risks. And the camera offers a much-needed additional sightline. The Forklift Safety Device is such a breakthrough product that it was nominated for an MHI Innovation Award at the most recent ProMat exhibit in Chicago.

OE Attachments values workplace safety and being a part of the solution. It’s part of the reason why we’re an ISO 9001:2015 certified company—we’re always striving to become better. The Forklift Safety Device is a testament to that, and we look forward to bringing this technology to every warehouse and job site that values safety as much as we do. 

For more information on the Forklift Safety Device, please visit https://www.OEAttachments.com/flsd