Dear Showies,
An emergency meeting of the SHS Joint Safety Committee was held on Wednesday 22nd May at SHSHQ whereby the elected NSW representatives of the committee attended in person and representatives from Victoria, Queensland and Adelaide attended via remote video link.
The subject of the meeting was Forklift Safety.
FORKLIFT OPERATORS MAY STOP WORK
In summary, Forklift Operators must put their forklift into SLOH Mode if any personnel breach a 3 metre exclusion zone around the forklift, which means they are to stop operating the forklift, lower the tynes to the ground, put it in neutral, engage the handbrake and switch the forklift off until the safe working distance of 3 metres is reestablished.
Forklift operators are permitted to invoke the Stop Work Policy P005 if ordered to work in an unsafe manner and should report all incidents directly to SHS Operations (open 24hrs per day, 7 days per week) and their supervisor and / or Crew Chief.
Personnel may only approach within the 3 metre forklift exclusion zone if following procedure such as the Manually Stabilising Forklift Loads PROC023.
FORKLIFT SAFETY – 3 METRE EXCLUSION ZONE
Forklifts have been identified as potentially the most dangerous element of the SHS workplace.
A three metre safe exclusion zone around forklifts must be enforced whilst they are operating. This means Crew Members and all other personnel must maintain a safe working distance from forklifts. Getting too close to a forklift can result in catastrophic injuries.
In the event that personnel come within 3 metres of a forklift, the Forklift Operator should simply stop operating the forklift, lower the tynes to the ground, straighten the wheels, put the unit in neutral and engage the handbrake until the safe working distance has once again been established and report the incident to their Crew Chief or Client Supervisor.
GO SLOH ON FORKLIFTS
We have an acronym to assist you to remember what a Forklift Operator must do when any people come within 3 metres of a forklift – SLOH, which sounds like SLOW as in Slow Down around forklifts and it stands for:
SLOH
Stop operating the forklift
Lower the tynes to the ground
Off – put the unit in neutral and switch it off
Handbrake – engage the handbrake
Keep the forklift in this reset position until the area is cleared of personnel.
It is often the case that forklifts are operating whilst manual handling is being undertaken by crew. Time needs to be allocated to each of these tasks and they must be separated to avoid risk of injury.
We rely on Crew Chiefs and Forklift Operators to keep workers clear of Forklifts by a safe distance. However, all SHS Crew Members, no matter their level of experience, have a shared responsibility to ensure that safety standards are maintained.
BLIND SPOTS
All personnel in the vicinity of a forklift should be aware of the blind spots forklift operators encounter when operating forklifts and should take extra precautions to avoid those areas.
Never approach a forklift from the direction of a blind spot.
To help understand the blind spots for a forklift operator, imagine you are viewing a forklift from directly above with the front end of the forklift at the top of the image and the rear of the forklift at the bottom of the image, then imagine the hands of a clock so that the front of the forklift is at 12 o’clock and the rear of the forklift is at 6 o’clock.
The blind spots on a forklift are:
• Directly behind the forklift is a blind spot at 6 o’clock
• Behind and to the sides of the forklift are blind spots at 8 o’clock and 4 o’clock and the entire space in between
• In front of the load of the forklift where the operator is unable to see is a blind spot at 12 o’clock
The safest and only permissible way to approach a forklift is when it is in “SLOH” mode and from the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions relative to the forklift operator’s seat.
SWMS – SAFE WORK METHOD STATEMENTS
All SHS Crew Chiefs, Crew Members and Forklift operators must be aware of the Safe Work Methods – SWMS – for forklifts and abide by them (see below).
The High Risk SWMS, containing safe forklift methods, can be found online at the SHS Website here. Use the password in the Noticeboard message to access. At the bottom of the page there is a Print button for those Crew Chiefs requesting a paper copy. Alternatively, make an appointment to visit HQ to collect a paper copy or request one to be posted to you.
The High Risk SMWS can also be found in the resources section of your Portal, in the Day Sheet and in the Pre-Start Acceptance for easy access on your mobile device at all times.
The following amendments and additions are recommended to be added to the SWMS, subject to ratification by the SHS Joint Safety Committee:
Step 2: Traffic – Road Traffic
Potential Hazard: Collisions
Risk Rating: High
Control Measures:
Use traffic control when working on or near roadways or where vehicular traffic will or may be encountered.
Wear high-visibility clothing when working near traffic.
New Rating: Low
Step 4: Operation of forklifts
Potential Hazard: Collision
Risk Rating: High
Control Measures:
Develop traffic management plan for site if plant and vehicle movement will create a risk of collision.
Speed limits must be set and enforced.
Provide safe path of travel for pedestrians away from forklift operating areas.
Prevent pedestrian access into forklift operating areas such as loading and unloading areas, and storages.
Forklifts should display a rotating amber beacon when moving, and be fitted with an audible reversing alarm.
Operators should sound horn when approaching corners or intersections, and before entering traffic areas.
Maintain 3M exclusion zone.
Driver in driver zone.
New Rating: Low
PROCEDURE FOR MANUALLY STABILISING FORKLIFT LOADS
The below suggestion for a Procedure for Manually Stabilising Forklift Loads is in draft form and ready for the Safety Committee to review next week.
If crew members need to manually stabilise a load on a forklift while it is being raised or lowered, the following procedures must be followed:
1. Either the forklift operator or a spotter should be assigned to direct the operation and call a lift. Communication can be verbal, by hand signals or via two-way radio
2. A maximum of 2 crew members may assist at any given time, designated by the spotter, forklift operator, senior crew member, or supervisor, based on their experience.
3. All activity should stop and the forklift should be in “SLOH” mode while the designated crew members approach the load.
4. Designated crew members should only approach the load once visual confirmation has been received that the forklift operator is ready and alert.
5. Crew members should approach from the 10 o’clock and 2 o’clock positions relative to the forklift operator’s seat, always remaining in clear view of the forklift operator and should never get between the truck or loading dock and the forklift.
6. All other crew members must remain more than 3 metres away from the forklift and stay silent so the spotter can call the lift.
7. No manual handling should occur while forklifts are loading the truck and no use of mobile phones is permitted.
8. No more than two crew members should be on the truck to receive the load, one of whom may be the spotter.
TOOLBOX TALKS
When conducting Toolbox talks at the start of a shift (site-specific inductions), Crew Chiefs and senior SHS Crew Members should ensure that all personnel comprehend the information being communicated to them by asking questions. It is not enough to expect Crew Members to read through the safety documentation or to expect that they are paying attention during Toolbox Talks. You must ask questions to test their understanding.
For example, you may turn to the Forklift Operator/s on the shift and ask:
Q1. “How far away must personnel be kept away from your forklift?”
A. The correct answer is “Three metres.”
Q2. “What should you do if people get too close to the forklift?”
A. “Stop driving the forklift and reset it.”
Another good question to ask a Forklift operator is:
Q3. “If crew get within 3 metres of the Forklift, which of the following should you do”:
a: Stop driving the Forklift,
b: Lower the tyres to the ground
c: Put the unit in neutralÂ
d: Engage the handbrake
e: All of the above
The correct answer is e. All of the above
Other suitable questions to test the knowledge of Crew Member’s and Forklift Operator’s knowledge of working safely in the vicinity of forklifts are:
Q4. What is the minimum PPE required for personnel working in the vicinity of forklifts?
A. Hi Vis vests and Safety Boots
Q5. Are spotters a good idea to improve safety and assist the Forklift Operator?
A. Yes
Q6. Should Forklift Operators always conduct a pre-operational check?
A. Yes
Q7. Is it highly advisable to always operate forklifts on flat level ground?
A. Yes
Q8. It is important to separate the tasks of forklift activity and what?
A. Manual handlingÂ
Q9. Is it a good idea to keep off mobile phones while in the vicinity of a forklift?
A. Yes
Q10. Forklift Operators and Crew Members must always adhere to which of the following?
a: Site specific rules
b: Safe Work Method Statements – SWMS
c: Inductions
d: All of the above
The correct answer is d. All of the above
The following section has been added to the Toolbox Talk, available to all SHS Crew Members in the Pre-Start Acceptance, the Resources, the Show Support Website and the Day Sheet.
Forklifts
- Work in accordance with the forklift section of the High Risk SWMS
- Maintain a 3m safe working distance between personnel and the forklift at all times.
- Cease operating the forklift, lower the tynes to the ground, put it in neutral, engage the handbrake and switch it off (SLOH Mode) if personnel breach the 3m exclusion zone until safe to continue
- Maintain clear communication about the need to keep a safe working distance.
- Separate manual handling tasks from forklift operation and allocate time for each.
Here’s how to access the Toolbox Talk:
1. Navigate to the Job Details page.
2. Click on the menu located at the upper right corner of your screen.
3. Choose “Safety” from the menu options. This will direct you to the safety page.
4. To access the forklifts, on the safety page, choose “Toolbox Talk” from the safety forms section.
5. Alternatively, select “SWMS – WHS 002” to access the High Risk SWMS 002.
WE INVITE FEEDBACK
Many thanks for reading this and playing your part in our shared commitment to improving safety in the workplace. Upper management consults with workers via the Joint Safety Committee. However, if there is anything you would like to bring directly to our attention, please do so via the Feedback Form.
Regards,
David Neil
SHS Operations Director.Â