What are forklifts and why are they a significant risk?
The term “forklift” encompasses various types of equipment: counterbalanced forklifts, reach trucks, stackers, electric pallet trucks, reach mast trucks, order pickers, and all-terrain forklifts. They all share the combination of a vehicle that operates among people and a lifting system that shifts the center of gravity; this combination explains why they remain one of the most frequently involved in serious accidents in warehouses, industry, and logistics.
The regulations address the risk from three angles. The equipment must be safe by design and marketed with CE marking in accordance with machinery regulations (Royal Decree 1644/2008 and, since its implementation, Regulation (EU) 2023/1230). The employer must choose the appropriate equipment, maintain it, and inspect it (Royal Decree 1215/1997, Articles 3 to 5). And its use must be carried out under safe conditions: authorized and trained operators, suitable traffic routes, loads within the rated capacity, and a prohibition on lifting people except with equipment specifically designed for that purpose.
INSST Technical Prevention Notes 713 and 714 describe the basic knowledge, hazards and preventive measures for self-propelled forklift trucks and are the usual technical reference for developing internal procedures.
Main risks and preventive measures
- Side or front rollover. Caused by excessive speed when turning, heavy loads while moving, uneven surfaces, ramps, or overloading. Measures: drive with the load low and tilted back, respect the rated capacity and load chart, limit speed, maintain level surfaces, and use a seat belt or operator restraint system.
- Pedestrian accidents and collisions. Measures: separation of vehicle and pedestrian traffic lanes, signage, mirrors at intersections, lighting, lights and warning devices, speed limits, exclusion zones and instructions for pedestrians.
- Load falling or detachment. Measures: correct palletization and strapping, load backing, suitable and well-maintained forks, stacking at the permitted height and prohibition of transporting unstable loads.
- Crushing and entrapment. Between the forklift and structures, on the mast, or when getting off the equipment. Measures: safety gantry, keep limbs inside the cab, and do not attempt to work on the mast while the forklift is in operation.
- Improper lifting of persons. Prohibited except with platforms designed and approved for that use, in accordance with Annex II of Royal Decree 1215/1997.
- Associated risks. Emissions from combustion engines in enclosed spaces, electrical and chemical risks in battery charging, noise, whole body vibrations and postural fatigue.
Usage requirements according to Royal Decree 1215/1997
- Authorization and training. Driving is reserved for workers authorized by the company, who have received specific training for that equipment (Annex II, section 2.1); the training must cover the specific type of forklift and the work environment.
- Equipment suitability. Rollover protection structure, operator restraint system, braking and emergency devices, lighting and acoustic signaling when traveling in areas with the presence of people (Annex I, section 2).
- Checks and maintenance. Initial and periodic checks by competent personnel, maintenance in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and recording of checks (Article 4).
- Instructions for use. Manufacturer’s manual available, internal traffic regulations, daily pre-use inspection and reporting of anomalies.
Organizational application: how to manage them
- Inventory the company’s forklifts with type, nominal capacity, date of manufacture, CE marking and status of checks.
- Evaluate the risks by work area (warehouse, docks, ramps, outdoors) and define traffic routes, speeds and pedestrian exclusion zones.
- Authorize each driver in writing after theoretical and practical training on the type of forklift and in the specific environment, with periodic refresher training.
- Implement daily pre-use inspection with a checklist and a channel to report anomalies and remove equipment.
- Plan maintenance and regular checks and keep your records.
- Manage associated risks: battery charging in ventilated areas, emissions from internal combustion engines, vibrations, and shift work.
- Investigate incidents, including those without damage, and use them to revise the procedure.
Preventive management software allows you to keep track of equipment, authorizations, training, checks and breakdowns, and link them to risk assessment and coordination with contractors who operate forklifts at the center.
Limits and common mistakes
- Allowing unauthorized persons or persons not trained in another type of forklift to drive it.
- Lifting people onto forks or onto a pallet.
- Driving with a high load, at excessive speed or with reduced visibility, instead of driving in reverse when the load obstructs the view.
- Not using the seat belt, which prevents crushing in case of a rollover.
- Exceeding the nominal capacity or not knowing how it varies with height and load center.
- Mixing vehicles and pedestrians without separation in docks, aisles and picking areas.
The specific measures must be adapted to the type of forklift, the manufacturer’s manual and the risk assessment of each center.
Practical example
Situation: A distribution warehouse with 25 forklifts and three shifts records two near-miss incidents involving pedestrians in one month.
- Analysis. The incidents occur at a blind spot between the manual picking area and the main forklift aisle.
- Measures. Convex mirror and light signal at the crossing, markings on the ground of the pedestrian zone, speed limit and mandatory stop sign.
- Organization. Review of the authorization of night shift drivers and reinforcement training on driving with loads that limit visibility.
- Monitoring. Recording of incidents as an indicator, monthly inspection of the crossing and review of the procedure in the health and safety committee .
Regulatory framework in Spain
- Royal Decree 1215/1997, of July 18, Annexes I and II . Minimum health and safety requirements for the use of work equipment, including self-propelled mobile equipment and load lifting equipment.
- Royal Decree 1644/2008, of October 10. Marketing and commissioning of machines; CE marking of forklifts.
- Royal Decree 486/1997, of April 14, Annex I. Traffic routes, ramps and workplace conditions.
- NTP 713 of the INSST . Self-propelled forklifts (I): basic knowledge for risk prevention.
- NTP 714 of the INSST . Self-propelled forklifts (II): main hazards and preventive measures.
Directive 2009/104/EC regulates the use of work equipment, including mobile equipment, in the European Union. The UNE-EN ISO 3691 series of technical standards sets out the safety requirements for material handling equipment.
