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Safety Saturday: Forklift Safety

Jun 08, 2023

This year celebrates the 10th anniversary of National Forklift Safety Day! The day is observed on the second Tuesday in June each year and is an initiative by the Industrial Truck Association to promote safe forklift use and the importance of operator training. According to the National Safety Council, forklifts were the source of 70 work-related deaths in 2021 and 7,290 nonfatal injuries involving days away from work in 2020. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that over 70% of these accidents were preventable. National Forklift Safety Day is committed to the safety of those who work around forklifts, emphasizing operator training to reduce worker injuries and fatalities.


According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, nearly 20,000 workers are seriously injured in forklift-related incidents annually. Statistically, that means one of every ten forklifts in the US will be involved in an accident every year.


Forklift safety is greatly encouraged to prevent these dangers from happening in the workplace.


  • Only trained and certified workers should operate a forklift.
  • Always operate the vehicle according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  • Always wear a seatbelt when the forklift has one.
  • Keep your arms, legs, head, and feet inside the forklift when driving.
  • Never drive with the forks up.
  • Remove from service any forklift found to be in unsafe operating condition.
  • Do not carry an unbalanced load, nor exceed the rated load.
  • Use proper lockout/tagout procedures when forklifts are not in use.
  • Follow the Halo Rule.
  • Use a Spotter when possible.


The industrial truck manufacturing sector has been an important and active part of the American economy for 100 years. Texas is a state where industrial truck firms have generated one of the highest economic impacts, nearly $2.7 Billion. We can continue to be safe and free from injury by following these tips and by encouraging workers to stay abreast of forklift operator training.

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