Pallet Truck Safety Guide

Pallet Trucks are used to make it easy to carry out what would normally be a multiple-person job by moving a load from one point to another, the use of pallet truck is reducing strain and effort while improving efficiency as well. When handling a pallet truck even for a short period of time you must ensure that you wear the right protective clothing including steel-capped shoes, gloves and protective eye-wear.

Why should I worry if everyone don’t require a license to operate a pallet truck? Some employers are requesting inexperienced or untrained workers to operate pallet trucks that are not seen as a safety threat, but are still capable of causing harm to workers and people nearby.

The Safety Plan

It is your duty as the operator to ensure that a pallet truck is operated under :

• Before being used, the pallet truck is in excellent working condition.
• Check the wheels and make sure they are not broken out and there are no flaws. By doing this, you reduces the risk of pallet truck becoming unstable halfway through the load.
• Handling it correctly to ensure that you and the people around you are safe and secure.

Before going straight using the pallet truck, making a quick check and organizing your journey could save you a lot of trouble going forward.

Pallet Truck Safety Tips

You also need to taken in account a range of safety precautions while using a pallet jack that include:

• Never put your feet under the pallet truck.
• Never exceed the load capacity recommended.
• Use correct lifting methods when the pallet truck is loaded / unloaded.
• Check the path you are taking is clear and free of hazards and uneven surfaces before you start moving your load.
• Shift or move the load gradually to ensure better safeness
• Ask your colleague to direct you if you are carrying a large load that obstructs your vision.
• Push the load instead of pull the load) at all times.
• Go in reverse when you go down on an incline.
• Be careful of pinch points to avoid damage to your hands.

While there is no license or examination to operate these types of material handling equipment, however, knowing how to safely operate the pallet truck and knowing what kind of precautions you need to take to ensure that no damage or injury occurs in your workplace is still essential.