Carolina Handling celebrates National Forklift Safety Day on June 14

Labor shortages, supply chain constraints put renewed spotlight on forklift safety

 National Forklift Safety Day takes on renewed significance this year as ongoing labor shortages and supply chain constraints are affecting workplace safety, according to industry professionals.

“As companies struggle to find skilled workers and deal with the pressure of performing at higher speeds with less staff, workplace safety becomes of greater concern,“ said Carolina Handling Safety Manager Mark Hernandez. “When hiring those that have limited or no experience, it is critical that you have an extensive training program and not just a training program to certify them, but also a mentoring program to improve their competencies.”

Carolina Handling will celebrate National Forklift Safety Day on Tuesday, June 14, with activities that include virtual reality forklift simulator training, lift truck demonstrations and a forklift rodeo, all designed to highlight the safe operation of lift trucks and those who work around them.

National Forklift Safety Day (NFSD) puts the importance of forklift safety and operator training in the spotlight. Now in its ninth year, the annual event organized by the International Truck Association encourages those in manufacturing, warehousing and other industries that rely on forklifts to review their training and safety guidelines.

Insufficient training, inexperience, speeding and improper turns are among the top reasons for forklift accidents, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Each year, forklift operation is responsible for more than 7,000 non-fatal injuries and continues to make the OSHA top ten list of most cited injuries. In 2018, 115 U.S. workers were killed in incidents involving forklifts, with 42 percent of all fatal forklift accidents caused by vehicle tip-overs, according to the most recent data.

Carolina Handling offers one of the most comprehensive and integrated suite of training tools for forklift operators and pedestrians including a virtual reality simulator that allows more secure and efficient operator training in a controlled environment, operator assist technologies and lean management principles. For more information, visit www.carolinahandling.com/service/training.

ABOUT CAROLINA HANDLING
Founded in 1966, Carolina Handling employs more than 660 associates at its Charlotte, NC headquarters, offices in Atlanta, GA, Birmingham, AL, Greensboro, NC, Raleigh, NC and Greenville, SC, and its Equipment Distribution Center in Piedmont, SC.

One of the Southeast’s leading material handling solution providers, Carolina Handling is the exclusive Raymond Solutions and Support Center in the Southeast for North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida’s Central time zone territory. The company provides automation and optimization services and virtual reality-based training, along with parts, racking, storage, conveyors, lighting and dock and door equipment. Its proprietary iWAREHOUSE optimization system allows real-time monitoring of fleets and warehouses.