Identifying safety hazards in an industrial workplace is crucial to ensure the safety of employees and the smooth and efficient functioning of operations.

Here are 5 ways to identify general safety hazards:

1. Conduct a visual inspection of the workplace: This involves walking around the workplace and looking for any potential hazards such as spills, damaged equipment, or blocked exits.
2. Review incident reports: Reviewing incident reports can help identify any patterns or trends in accidents that have occurred in the past.
3. Consult with employees: Employees who work in the industrial workplace are often aware of potential hazards that may not be immediately apparent to others.
4. Review safety data sheets (SDS): SDS provides information on hazardous chemicals used in the workplace and how to handle them safely.
5. Conduct a job hazard analysis (JHA): A JHA is a process that involves breaking down each job task into steps and identifying potential hazards associated with each step.

When it comes to identifying safety hazards associated with forklift trucks or powered industrial trucks (PIT) specifically, here are some things to look out for:

• Forklifts that are not properly maintained or serviced can pose a risk to workers.
• Forklifts that are overloaded or carrying loads that are too heavy can tip over and cause serious injury.
• Workers who are not properly trained on how to operate a forklift can pose a risk to themselves and others.
• Forklifts that are operated in areas where there is poor visibility can pose a risk to workers.
• Forklifts that are operated at high speeds can pose a risk to workers.
• Forklifts should always be segregated from pedestrians using physical barriers that are fit for purpose and appropriate for the speed and weight of the vehicle AND its load.