FACTS

1. Unlike a car, forklifts only have brakes in the front, making them harder to stop 
2. Forklifts are heavier in the rear to compensate for the heavy loads being carried in the front. This uneven weight distribution can make a forklift difficult to handle. 
3. A forklift is turned by the rear wheels, causing the rear end to swing outward. This increases the chance of tipping over during tight turns. 
4. Loads are carried in the front of a forklift, which can obstruct the view of the driver 
5. Forklifts are often used to raise hefty loads to considerable heights, a combination that is always dangerous
6. The most common forklift accidents involve hitting a fellow worker, blocked sight, or lack of proper training
7. The most common cause of crane fatalities is workers or bystanders who are struck by an object that falls from  a crane. 

STATS

• Forklifts account for around 85 deaths every year – a 28% Increase since 2011 
• Forklift accidents that result in serious injury total 34,900 annually. 
• Non-serious injuries related to forklift accidents reach 61,800 each year. 
• A forklift overturning is the most common incident, accounting for 24% of all forklift accidents. 
• If companies implemented more stringent training policies, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that about 70% of forklift accidents in the US could be prevented.
• On average 95 people are seriously injured in a forklift accident every day and 1 person is killed in a forklift accident every 4 days in the United States alone.
• Approximately 11% of forklifts in the United States will be involved in an accident each year. Meaning if your facility has 10 or more – something is going to happen this year.

• A breakdown of crane accident fatalities by cause of death:

• • Contact with object or equipment – 62%
  • Falls – 20%
  • Transportation incidents – 10%
  • Contact with an electrical current – 8%