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Forklift Requirements Clarification

Aug. 20, 2001

A clarification regarding Occupational Hazards August issue's Compliance Monitor on material handling (forklifts).

Several readers of Occupational Hazards magazine have inquired about the August issue's Compliance Monitor (page 27) on material handling (forklifts). They questioned whether the list of "mandatory equipment" on powered industrial trucks was properly attributed to OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.178.

Only overhead protection is a requirement in the OSHA standard. The editor inadvertently attributed the other "requirements" to the OSHA standard. Horns (section 7.33 under "warning device") and wheel plates (section 7.30 under "guards for wheels") are included in voluntary standard ASME/ANSI B56.1-2000. On-board fire extinguishers are mentioned in voluntary standard NFPA/ANSI 505-1999. Back-up alarms are not required by OSHA or ANSI. Although restraint systems or seat belts are not in the OSHA standard, the agency has issued citations for lack of a restraint system or seat belt, using the general-duty clause.

Occupational Hazards apologizes for the confusion that this has caused.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeek, EHS Today, Material Handling & Logistics, Logistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor: Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.