Avoid Collisions at Workplace Intersections

Workplace intersections can be every bit as dangerous as busy road intersections. Unlike traffic-light-controlled vehicle intersections, however, the ones in a warehouse or company yard often lack visibility.

Poor visibility caused by inadequate lighting or cramped aisles increases the possibility of collisions between workers on foot and forklifts and other machinery if people aren’t paying attention. In a collision between a loaded forklift weighing thousands of pounds and a pedestrian, the person on foot is very likely to be killed on impact.

Imagine looking through your car’s windshield at steel beams, chains, cables and a heavy suspended load. How would you rate your ability to spot and avoid pedestrians and other vehicles on a busy street?

This is essentially what the forklift operator faces in the work yard or warehouse. It can be extremely difficult for operators to see workers approaching on foot, especially in low-light situations. Should a pedestrian suddenly materialize in the path of a moving forklift, even if the operator can stop quickly enough, the load may be thrown onto the worker.