Page 40 - Occupational Health & Safety, July 2018

FACILITY SAFETY
monitoring forklift impacts allows organizations to set goals for specific operators and the entire team. Highlighting and rewarding the behavior of the operators with the fewest impacts while set- ting and communicating team goals can increase safety awareness and motivate operators to strive for continuous improvement. Op- erators who do not improve can then be targeted with additional training or incentives.
Implement Real-Time Operator Coaching
As the forklift becomes more connected, managers can offer active, real-time operator coaching. Currently, forklift fleet man- agement systems focus primarily on monitoring operator behavior as exhibited through the forklift. Real-time coaching will assist op- erators in planning routes, including knowing the location of other forklifts to minimize congestion and reduce the chance of impacts. Voice and visual alerts could even be used to reinforce safe operating behavior, as well as notify operators of unsafe conditions, such as a spill or fallen product, when they occur within the warehouse.
A Case In Point
Northgate Markets, located in Anaheim, Calif., is a family-owned and -operated business that distributes fresh produce, meats, and grocery items to 47 stores in the San Diego, Los Angeles, and Or- ange County markets. Their 385,000-square-foot distribution cen- ter includes more than 100 pieces of material handling equipment, including reach trucks and pallet trucks with specific tasks.
Although the company had processes in place for gathering pre-shift safety inspection data, it struggled to get its operators to document inspections and avoid impacts on a consistent basis. With a stated goal to minimize workplace injuries and expenses, Northgate Markets used our InfoLink® Fleet Management System to ensure operators were properly completing and documenting shift inspections. The company also uses the system to monitor lift truck impacts to help modify operator behaviors.
Taking this approach, Northgate Markets was able to boost the inspection report compliance rate from approximately 40 percent to virtually 100 percent, ensuring every lift truck is operated only when it is safe to do so. Management established individual impact thresholds for each truck and application and used the impact no- tifications to help modify operator behavior.
Conclusion
Creating a safer work environment for forklift operators and other personnel doesn’t happen without effort and participation of all stakeholders. As forklift connectivity continues to increase, lever- aging a forklift fleet and operator management system will equip managers with a more robust toolbox to create and/or enhance a data-driven, proactive approach to safety.
Maria Schwieterman is senior marketing product manager for Crown Equipment.
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