Toolbox Talk: Forklifts and Pedestrians

Before you start

Hold the talk near a busy aisle or intersection, ideally with a forklift parked nearby so you can point out blind spots.

Read this to your crew

Forklifts are heavy, quiet and hard to see around. When a forklift and a person end up in the same space, the person always loses.

Today we will cover how operators and pedestrians can keep each other safe.

Key points

Use the walkways. Stay in marked pedestrian walkways and cross only at marked crossings.
Make eye contact. Never assume the operator sees you. Wait for eye contact or a signal before you cross in front of a forklift.
Respect blind spots. Operators cannot see well behind the truck or around a raised load. Stay well clear.
Never walk under raised forks. And never ride on the forks or the truck unless it is designed for a passenger.
Operators: slow down and sound the horn. Slow down and sound the horn at intersections, doorways and blind corners. Only trained and evaluated operators may drive.

Ask the crew

Where on this site do forklifts and people mix most?
Where are our worst blind corners?
What would you do if an operator was driving too fast?

Picture this

A worker cuts across a loading area to save time, looking at his phone. A forklift backing out of a trailer cannot see him. Using the marked walkway would have kept them apart.

Print this page to use the sign-in sheet, or skip the paper and record attendance digitally in SafetyIQ.

Name

Company / crew

Signature

Talk leader: ______________ Date: ______________ Site: ______________