Forklift Fatality

[JDgreen227]

Let's get this back on topic !! When I was employed, the first forklift I drove was about a 1950 vintage 6 volt Clark Carloader that had been converted to run on propane for indoor use. It had WAY too much power for the purposes we used it for and I finally blocked off the gas pedal part way so the novice temps would not tear around on it. Everybody that drove it was supposed to have been trained, but nobody was. One time a temp had the forks just behind the rear of a box truck with a power liftgate as a pair of us guys loaded a pallet with really heavy freight, and the idiot had stuck the forks under the edge of the gate and when the pallet was full, he raised the forks, which caught under the gate and as the gate edge raised, the rear of the fork truck lifted and the entire load on the pallet slid forward, just missing us two guys as we jumped back, and part of the frieght caught the liftgate linkage and burnt out the pump (electric) as the lever stuck in raising mode.

Later on, we finally got some pallet racking for the warehouse, and when we managed to get an electric forktruck, a TCM, my boss had the crew setting up the pallet racking put the top crossbeams up too high, and to place or pick a pallet on the top of the racking meant you had to raise the mast to maximum height and THEN tilt it back the maximum angle, and even then it was hit or miss of you could get the pallet on or off without incident. I wasn't happy with the arrangement but I wasn't the boss, and we had quite a few incidents with falling freight before the top crossbeams were finally lowered a foot. When you consider all the times we could have had somebody killed or injured, we were very lucky.

 

[jonyyuma]

When I got back out of active duty, a young pup,I hooked a job on a fork-lift. We handled fabric and long rolls of carpet. We had one guy miss the dock and broke it into on the railroad tracks. It almost killed him from impact on ground. it really slowed my young butt down..

 

[jonyyuma]

Oh, yeah one day I didn't raise the overhead door all the way..forgot about it later and put the Mast and forks into the two lower sections. D__n, almost got me fired..

 

[JDgreen227]

Oh, yeah one day I didn't raise the overhead door all the way..forgot about it later and put the Mast and forks into the two lower sections. D__n, almost got me fired..

About the door. dimwit I worked with backed a 16 foot box truck into a 14 foot high, 22 foot wide, nearly new rollup door when it was only 2/3rds open. How the h-- he did that I will never know.

 

[jonyyuma]

We have real high doors at this location. The guy whom hauls our 18 ft dumpster, shoved under it and lifted, before he pulled out. He denied the $4000.00 damage to the building and outside..It missed the huge door...They finally paid to repair, next guy backed into building??? Third guy pulled it okay with winch, forgot to unhook the hydraulic ram hoses, pulled them and Pump assy w/tank all off the wall. Are YOU Laughing yet???

 

[Tollster]

Seat belt usage is mandatory in my industry for forklifts, I have never even used one, but had to watch the saftey videos.

 

[downslope]

...But when they started the CDL and sent me a letter that I'd have to come in and take the test for a CDL or drop back to an Operator's License . . . well, I'd have no objection to taking the test, but since I had no need for a CDL, I saw no reason to pay what it costs.:laughing: And I eventually even dropped the motorcycle endocrsement since I don't a bike anymore.

When CDL's first started I remember NY allowed you to sign an affadavit that you already had so many years of experience in a CDL vehicle and they would then issue you a CDL for that class without a road test. In effect you were "grandfathered". I wonder if many states did it that way? Anyway, that sure was a long time ago; probably a lot of those first CDL licensees aren't even driving anymore.

 

[Harold_J]

Oh, yeah one day I didn't raise the overhead door all the way..forgot about it later and put the Mast and forks into the two lower sections. D__n, almost got me fired..

I was doing computer software work at a trash collection (garbage) company. It was just before Christmas and they were handing out turkeys (frozen) to the employees. We get a call that one of the drivers had run a front-loader truck under the railroad trestle with the forks raised full height. When he got back to the garage the owner, a real tough character, took one of the turkeys, smashed it over his head and fired on the spot.

 

[JDgreen227]

When CDL's first started I remember NY allowed you to sign an affadavit that you already had so many years of experience in a CDL vehicle and they would then issue you a CDL for that class without a road test. In effect you were "grandfathered". I wonder if many states did it that way? Anyway, that sure was a long time ago; probably a lot of those first CDL licensees aren't even driving anymore.

Here in Michigan (and likely other states) the Federal laws stated that anyone with a hearing loss could not obtain a CDL, but because I had so many years of experience driving commercial trucks I was grandfathered in and only had to take a road test. I began driving straight trucks in '71, and if I recall right, CDL's began to be a requirement back about 1981-82, and I got my first one about 1988.

 

[Illinoisdmax]

All forklifts have different stability characteristics. I've driven some you need to work to try and tip, even with a load. The Hyster 40s we use on our dock can be tipped just by turning the wheel too quick.

Simply fastening his belt would have saved this mans life. We had a dock worker a few years ago nearly kill himself. He was working the dock alone and had unseated, leaned forward to read a label on a pallet, and somehow maned to end up with his head in the mast. Nearly decapitated himself. someone in the office realized he was no longer working and went to check on him. No idea how long he had been pinned. He wasn't expected to live, but has, and will be a quadriplegic for the rest of his life.

I've been working a freight dock 3rd shift for nearly 2 years now. If I'm in reverse goin full speed and cut the wheels too hard on the rougher concrete on the dock, ill get on 2 wheels. Scares the piss outta me. But the story about the mast incident, watched a co-worker shatter his arm doin the same thing last year. He was scanning a tag with the freight on his forks, leaned forward with his scanner through the forks and pushed the vertical lift cylinder with his knee. Split second deal and a wrecked arm.