Beall Brewery Insurance reports that, according to OSHA, forklifts cause an estimated 85 fatal accidents per year. That’s in addition to 34,900 accidents that result in serious injury and 61,800 that are non-serious.

In 2013, a worker at a regional brewery died in a forklift accident. How can you ensure that doesn’t happen at your brewery? There are three simple areas to consider: the forklift itself, the brewery conditions, and employee behavior.

Focus on the Forklift

• Does your brewery use properly maintain the equipment?
• Does your forklift have the proper tools, attachments, or accessories?
• Is the age (years in use, hours in use, etc) of your forklift concerning?
• Does the equipment perform well (steering, braking, etc.)?
• Are there any issues with the servicing of forklifts?

Check for Safe Conditions

• Do production factors, such as speed or stress, exist?
• Do any aisles appear too narrow for forklift operations?
• Are any aisles crowded or cluttered to a point of restricting forklift operations?
• Are there any obstructions at intersections or doors?
• Is there a large volume of pedestrian traffic in the work area?
• Do workers use forklifts in walking and/or working areas?
• Are there any general workplace hazards, such as noise, toxic gases, dust, or poor lighting?
• Do workers overload the equipment?
• Are loads unstable or blocking the driver’s vision?

Ensure Employee Safety Behavior

• Do operators use proper warnings to alert others of a forklift in use?
• Do workers ride on forklifts or the load? Or do they engage in horseplay, stunt driving or jerky or erratic driving?
• Are workers who operate forklifts properly trained?
• Do workers properly park forklifts?
• Do workers poorly stack or pile loads on pallets?

For more than 25 years, Beall Financial and Insurance Services, Inc., has been helping corporations and individuals protect their most important assets. The agency’s client base covers a spectrum of niche businesses, such as craft breweries, that require specialized insurance packages and knowledge. With California offices in Redlands and Newport Beach, Beall Financial and Insurance Services serves clients nationwide.