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Riding the forks: lifting people on a forklift

Riding the forks: lifting people on a forklift

Vehicles and backing 5 min 29 CFR 1926.602 · 29 CFR 1926.451

Carpentry, Electrical

Why it matters

Standing on bare forks or a pallet to reach a ceiling seems quick. It is one of the fastest ways to fall 15 feet onto concrete. A lift truck can only lift people on a platform built and secured for it, and the truck can't drive with someone up there.

The talk

Everybody has seen it. A guy needs to hang one light or fix one gutter. The ladder is in the other truck, so he stands on a pallet on the forks and the operator lifts him up. Or two workers ride on the forks across the yard to save a walk. It works until the pallet slides, the operator bumps a lever, or the truck rolls over a rut. There is nothing to hold, no rail, and no way for the person up top to stop the machine. A short fall from a fork is enough to kill.

The rules are plain. Nobody rides on a forklift or telehandler unless they are allowed to and there is a safe place to ride. To lift people, the truck needs a safety platform made for it and firmly secured to the carriage or forks. The people on the platform need a way to shut off the truck's power, and protection from falling objects when the job calls for it. If the platform is used as a work platform, the whole platform must be attached to the forks, and the truck can't move sideways or travel while someone is on it.

Here is what we do. Use a scissor lift, boom lift, or ladder when one will do the job. If we use a forklift platform, use one the maker rated for that truck, and lock it to the forks the way the maker says. Check the guardrails and gate before anyone gets in. Tie off inside if the platform or truck maker calls for it. The operator stays at the controls the whole time and does not drive with people up. Keep the area under the platform clear. And nobody, ever, rides on bare forks or a pallet.

Key points

  1. Nobody rides a forklift or telehandler unless authorized, in a safe place to ride.
  2. People go up only in a safety platform made for the truck.
  3. The platform must be firmly secured to the carriage or forks.
  4. People on the platform need a way to shut off power.
  5. Protect the platform from falling objects when needed.
  6. The truck does not travel while someone is on the platform.
  7. Never ride on bare forks or a pallet.

Do this

  • Pick a scissor lift, boom lift, or ladder first when it fits the job.
  • Use a platform rated for the truck and lock it on.
  • Check rails and the gate before anyone steps in.
  • Keep the operator at the controls the whole time.
  • Keep the area under the platform clear.

Do not do this

  • Do not stand on bare forks or a pallet to reach something.
  • Do not ride on the forks or the side of the truck across the yard.
  • Do not drive or swing the truck with people up.
  • Do not use a homemade box or cage as a platform.
  • Do not leave the controls while someone is raised.

Talk about it

  1. What overhead work is coming up, and what is the right lift for it?
  2. Do we have a forklift platform on site that is rated for our truck?

This is a short crew briefing. It does not replace a competent person, training, or the law.

Training aid only. This talk is not legal advice. It does not replace your company's safety program, a competent person, the equipment maker's instructions, or the OSHA standard itself.

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