Forklifts are often indispensable for many operations, but they can also be dangerous if not managed correctly. One crucial aspect of forklift safety that often does not get the attention it deserves is safety lighting.
Safety lights on forklifts are essential for preventing accidents and enhancing overall workplace safety. Throughout this blog, you will learn:
- The Purpose of Safety Lights
- Types of Safety Lights
- Laws for Working Forklift Safety Lights
- Where to Find New or Replacements
The Purpose of Safety Lights
Safety lights on forklifts are crucial for improving visibility, warning pedestrians and other operators, reducing collision risks, marking operational exclusion zones, and enhancing efficiency. They increase the visibility of forklifts in low-light conditions, alert others to the vehicle’s movements, and create visual operational exclusion zones to reduce the risk of accidents. Additionally, these lights ensure compliance with safety regulations, contributing to a safer and more productive workplace.
Without safety lights on a forklift, the risk of accidents significantly increases due to reduced visibility in low-light or busy areas. In particular, the absence of lights can make it difficult for pedestrians and other operators to notice the forklift, especially if it is an electric model, which operates quietly and adds to the visibility challenge.
In conjunction with safety lights, it is a requirement for high-risk plant operations to conduct a pre-start inspection before the first operation of a forklift each day or shift. This inspection involves checking and confirming the functionality of all safety features, including the seatbelt, horn, and lighting. It is the operator’s responsibility to ensure these features are operational prior to use, as this directly determines whether the forklift is safe to operate.
Types of Safety Lights
Many manufacturers offer a range of different safety lights to suit your desired application.
- Rotating Light: The rotating light creates a highly visible, rotating beam that is effective at alerting nearby workers.
- Strobe Light: Similar to a rotating light, strobe lights flash on and off to draw attention. They can be more intense and are used to make the forklift’s presence known in various conditions.
- LED Safety Light: These are energy-efficient and long-lasting lights that can be used for various purposes, including as beacons or to illuminate specific areas.
- Blue Spot Safety Light: These are projected onto the ground in the direction the forklift is moving, creating a visual indication of the vehicle’s path to alert pedestrians and other operators.
- Red Spot Safety Light: Much like the blue spot safety light, the red spotlight is intended to be mounted on the sides of your forklift and project a warning light onto the ground.
Many of the lights mentioned above come as standard safety features on new forklifts. If your forklift does not include some of these options, be sure to discuss it with your dealer.
Laws for Working Forklift Safety Lights
In Australia, various regulations and standards mandate the use of appropriate lighting and safety features to create a secure working environment.
Warning Devices:
- Each truck must be equipped with an aural warning device (such as a horn) that the operator can activate to alert pedestrians to the truck’s presence.
- If equipped with sensing systems (such as reversing sensors), the truck must provide alerts to inform the operator in the event of a failure.
It is important to note, an overload of audible and visual alerts can lead to confusion, reducing their effectiveness in warning pedestrians and operators about the truck’s presence. It’s essential to assess the suitability of different warning devices for each specific workplace. For example, reversing beepers and flashing lights may not be appropriate in enclosed areas or where multiple trucks operate.
Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations: These regulations mandate that employers provide a safe working environment. This includes ensuring that forklifts are properly equipped and maintained to prevent accidents. Forklifts without functional safety lights pose a risk and should only be used when deemed a reasonably practicable control based on the nature of the work environment. If no alternative or higher-level controls are implemented, this may be considered a PCBU’s failure to meet WHS obligations.
Safe Work Australia Guidelines: These guidelines emphasise the importance of visibility and signalling devices on forklifts. They recommend the use of safety lights and other visibility aids to prevent accidents.
Site standards/Conditions: Many larger organisations that have developed proactive safety cultures implement higher onsite standards for safety features on forklifts. In some cases, forklifts at these sites may have controls that exceed Australian standards and legislative requirements, as determined by site policies and procedures. Workers at these sites are expected to adhere to all mandatory requirements communicated to them and should seek assistance or clarification if they are unfamiliar with any of these features prior to operation.
Where to get Safety Lights
Depending on your needs, you can find a wide range of lighting solutions directly on the Adaptalift store website, including all the lights mentioned and more. If you’re unsure about which option is best for you, feel free to contact our experts at 13 22 54 or submit an online enquiry. We are here to help you create a safer and more productive workplace.