Important Safety Rules for Forklift Rentals

It is extremely important that all workers who will be involved in your forklift rental understand the safety rules for using such equipment and have received the proper training. These rules and regulations are not in place to make your life more difficult or to hinder your work; their goal is to keep workers and bystanders safe. If you do not use your forklift properly, all kinds of accidents and injuries can occur, many of them life-threatening.

• Make sure the forklift is only driven at a safe speed, especially if you are in a confined space with many tight corners. Driving at high speeds can cause the equipment to tip over.
• Never play with or use your rental forklift inappropriately; if you don’t need the equipment, don’t turn it on and make sure it’s stored well out of the way.
• Always wear your seat belt every time you get on the seat; if you haven’t been equipped with one, be sure to alert a supervisor. Do not use the equipment until the seat belt problem has been fixed.
• Never use a forklift for any purpose other than what it was designed for (such as lifting and moving heavy objects).
• Be sure to correctly judge the weight and size of an object before loading it onto the equipment, as trying to lift something that is too large or heavy can cause everything to tip over.
• Ask workers who haven’t worked with forklifts recently to complete a quick refresher course to ensure they’re confident enough to operate the equipment smoothly.
• If you need to do a specific job and you don’t have experienced workers in this kind of tasks, you should hire some qualified operators who offer their services in this way.
• Make sure that all workers who may need to use the lift have received the appropriate training and qualifications. If unqualified persons are found to be operating the equipment, you will be held responsible.
• Try to find a forklift rental that has a safety cage to ensure your safety at all times. This cage will protect the operator from serious injury in the event of the equipment accidentally tipping over.
• Safety cages are also extremely helpful in protecting workers from falling debris. If your workers are lifting heavy objects outdoors, this can also prevent them from getting seriously injured.
• Be sure to keep a record of any incidents that occur with your forklift, whether due to the operator’s fault or as a result of faulty equipment; the rental company may request a report.

Never fear that following safety rules with your forklift rental will make you look foolish; in fact, it will make him look extremely smart because he shows that he cares about his safety and the safety of his workers. Just remember that these rules only exist to ensure that everyone who works on and around forklifts is protected from serious injury or even death. That is why you must be familiar with each of the above rules and regulations.