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February 2004 — Do You Have the Right Forklift Truck Instructors?

In June 2003, a young worker was killed at a Georgia-based company when the forklift he was operating suddenly went into reverse, ran through the loading dock gates, flipped over and plunged four feet onto a concrete floor. The young trainee was reportedly pinned under the forklift and died on the way to the hospital.

OSHA cited the company for failing to protect workers by assuring instructors had the knowledge and experience to train powered-industrial truck operators and evaluate their competence.

Andre C. Richards, OSHA's Atlanta-West area director said, "this tragic accident may have been avoided if the company had followed the standard of only allowing trained, experienced instructors with knowledge of forklift operations to train individuals."

Do you have experienced instructors with knowledge of forklift operations conducting your training?

Important:

This information is offered by the Gases and Welding Distributors Association and your local distributor as general guidance only and may not explain all relevant safety precautions or hazards.

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