Every year thousands of incidents occur due to the mishandling of forklifts, which shouldn’t be taken lightly, as it’s a dangerous piece of machinery. As per a report by Occupational Safety and Health Administration, about 4,779 workers lost their lives on-site in 2018, and out of this, 5.5. percent deaths occurred due to mishandling or collision with heavy machinery. Responsible organizations should incorporate and standardize a safe work culture to ensure maximum protection to workers on site. A lot of warehouse and delivery work relies on forklifts, as they are quite useful in lifting and stacking heavy loads.
But, as mentioned, often they can be very dangerous as pedestrians or workers can get caught around its vicinity. Forklifts can be made safe through utilities like warning lighting systems. Let’s know how a forklift safety light system can be incredibly useful to prevent mishaps.
Read More: How to Enhance Loading Dock Safety with Forklift Light Systems
Generally, forklifts are designed in such a way that they are not ergonomically flexible, which is why they have a large turning radius. This can make them vulnerable to collision with pedestrians or other approaching vehicles. Forklifts can run into workers who remain busy in their work or are not paying attention to their surroundings. So, it becomes very important to ensure the workers remain at a safe distance from the forklift. Here safety LED lights to come into the picture. By mounting a safety lighting system on forklifts, the operator can create a safe, visible zone or marked surrounding so that pedestrians can comprehend the unseen maneuver and distance themselves well in advance. Even if the employees are busy with their work or absorbed in their phones, they can notice the bright light coming in their direction. So, this cushion of safety can prevent many mishaps from occurring in the warehouse.
Another benefit of having a Forklift safety lights is that they are easy to install and any department of maintenance can execute. These lights are usually mounted on the overhead guard. Though most forklifts come with pre-drilled holes for mounting lights, some others also have mount brackets that can be used to securely mount the safety lights on the fork trucks without the need of drilling into the overhead guard. For guaranteeing more safety, one can also use a combination of Red spotlight at the front and a Blue spotlight at the rear and vice versa.The installation is easier but one thing that must be kept in mind is to wire the lights in such a way that whenever the forklift moves in a direction, only the relevant light (front or back) should turn on. At the same time, the consistency of the same pattern should be kept across all the vehicles, especially when it comes to the color of light and distance of the beam from the forklift. Changes in the pattern can confuse or lead to unsafe assumptions on the part of workers and other forklifts in the surrounding area.
Think of lights, and we start to imagine that they are flimsy and delicate. It’s a valid assumption as forklifts don’t have a conventional suspension system like other automobiles. The safety lights used in forklifts do not have any flimsy components such as glass coverings that are usually present in incandescent, fluorescent, and metal-halide lighting systems. They also lack any filaments that might break while moving. On the flip side, the safety warning lights due to their solid-state design are durable, with some lights having a lifespan of over 50 thousand hours. The lighting system often comes with casting aluminum alloy housing and double insulated silicon rubberized wire, perfectly suitable for low and high temperatures. Some are covered with tempered glass for prevention against external damage, while many of them are also 100 percent dust, water, and quakeproof. So, as compared to other lighting systems, there is no need to be concerned about the failure of these lights at critical times.
Forklift safety lights are known for their versatile properties, and businesses may choose lights depending on the standard, approval ratings, or classifications. For instance, some models of LED safety lights feature UL ratings for industry compliance. Some are compatible against shocks and vibrations, while others are explosion-proof, which may work perfectly in hazardous work settings with specific classification ratings. For industries regularly exposed to corrosive materials, there are corrosion-resistant lights that may prevent premature failure. Sometimes, combining a variety of these lights can ensure maximum safety and smooth working. In brighter light conditions or outdoors, the blue light is more noticeable, while the red light is generally looked upon as a hazard warning.
LED lights significantly consume less power as against other lighting sources. They also instantly light up the area without any downtime for getting full output. On the other hand, the forklift safety lights are an excellent choice for industries working for sustainable development as these lights are safe for the environment and can be reprocessed completely.
The goal of SharpEagle is to help businesses and industries become as productive and safe as possible. And this is the reason why we are keen on manufacturing products that reduce warehouse accidents and promote a safe working atmosphere. We provide a range of Forklift Safety Lights, including ArcLight, Red Danger Light, Laser Light, and Blue Spot Light, all created to boost efficiency and reduce site fatalities. So, are you a cost-conscious manager who is inclined towards promoting a safe working environment? If yes, then give us a call or share your thoughts below.
