Here’s why overloading a forklift is a big no-no

Here’s why overloading a forklift is a big no-no

15/06/2023 / 5457 / Forklift Care, Forklift Safety, News
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Why exactly is overloading a forklift truck so dangerous?

Every year, around 1,300 UK employees are hospitalised following accidents involving forklift trucks. While unavoidable accidents can happen, many incidents are simply caused by negligence or misoperation – and could be avoided.

Overloading a forklift truck is a prime example of negligence that can cause unnecessary danger and damage. Forklifts have a specific load capacity that’s determined by the manufacturer. When a forklift is overloaded its centre of gravity shifts, making it much more prone to tipping. That means that overloaded vehicles, at best, can result in damage to your forks and stock, but at worst, they can seriously or fatally injure personnel.

How to prevent a forklift overloading

To prevent a forklift from being overloaded, there are guidelines that you should follow. You should:

  • Know the load capacity, which should be specified by the manufacturer and indicated on the forklift itself.
  • Weigh the load to accurately determine the weight before attempting to lift it.
  • Consider load distribution, ensuring the load is evenly distributed and positioned correctly.
  • Train forklift operators, ensuring they’re properly informed about safe load handling practices.
  • Monitor and enforce compliance, encouraging operators to report concerns or issues related to load capacity.

forklift

Know your limits

The vast majority of forklift operators understand the capacity of their machines and stick to them. However, it’s not uncommon for regular operators to become less rigorous over time, attempting to nudge a little extra weight on to pallets and try to estimate load sizes by eye.

You may have heard operators claim that if all the wheels are firmly on the ground, the load is secure, but this is not the case. This kind of guesswork is exactly what leads to preventable accidents happening.

Counterbalancing loads

Counterbalance forklifts are designed to balance the weight of the forks plus the load with the weight of the truck, held by the back axle. With the weight of the truck off-setting the load, specific limits are required to keep the back of the truck heavier and the rear wheels gripped to the ground.

These rules have to be followed due to the nature of the forklift as a moving vehicle. The fact that a truck looks balanced with the rear wheels on the ground when static means nothing once it starts to move.

Add speed, turning, braking and lifting into the equation, and your counterbalanced weight is going to feel the strain. And that’s before external factors the terrain, floor surface, incline and weather conditions are even factored in.

The only way to 100% make sure that a load remains balanced, safe and secure throughout loading and transit is to stay religiously under the capacity limits.

Take a look at this clip of a driver operating and overloaded forklift. The vehicle just about manages to hold the load until the operator attempts to lower the mast. Nobody is injured, but the clip just goes to show how quickly you can lose control of an overloaded vehicle and how dangerous this can be.

What’s the damage?

  1. Risk of injury or fatality
  2. Risk of overturned, damaged stock.
  3. Risk of damaged or overstrained vehicles.

The main risk of overloading forklifts is the injury or death to your operators and staff in the vicinity of the vehicle. Avoiding accidents that could harm employees should always be the primary concern of every organisation and individual on site.

There’s also the secondary threat to that of your stock and vehicles. Overturned loads mean lost profits. And if you regularly load up vehicles to the maximum, even without causing them to tip, you will place added strain on your trucks, which could lead to breakdowns and repairs down the line.

Forklift training for preventing overloading

Forklift training plays a crucial role in helping to prevent overloading incidents. Forklift training is a legal requirement for those who operate forklifts. The right training helps prevent accidents, keeps your business compliant and ensures drivers have up-to-date knowledge about how to operate and maintain vehicles properly.

forklift driver training certificate

Proper forklift training can help prevent overloading by teaching:

  • Load capacity awareness. Training educates drivers about load capacity limitations specific to different models of forklift trucks. It helps them to understand the various factors that can affect load capacities like load position, mast height and attachment types.
  • Weight estimation techniques. Training teaches operators the techniques needed to accurately estimate the weight of a load, including assessing its size, density and composition. This means they can make informed decisions that will help avoid overloading.
  • Load distribution techniques. The right training emphasises the importance of proper load distribution, teaching operators how to position the load to maintain stability and balance.
  • Identifying stability issues. Training teaches drivers how to recognise potential load stability issues that could lead to loss of control or tipping. This includes issues such as overly heavy or incorrectly positioned loads. By being informed about these issues, drivers are able to take corrective actions.
  • Safe load handling techniques. Forklift training emphasises the importance of following recommended practices, teaching the best techniques for safely lifting and transporting loads while ensuring they don’t exceed the forklift’s load capacity.
  • Decision-making. Up-to-date training emphasises risk assessment, critical thinking and responsible decision-making, teaching operators how to make informed decisions about the safety associated with lifting and transporting a potentially heavy load.

If you’d like to arrange forklift training for your team, we offer courses suitable for beginners through to experienced forklift drivers. Our courses are delivered by our experienced Training Manager and can be carried out in-house – so your team can learn in the environment they’ll be working in – or at our forklift driver training centre.

Find out more about forklift driver training

Other handy forklift safety resources

If you’re interested in safety tips and advice on handling forklifts correctly, you might find some of the following articles useful.

We hope you’ve found this overview useful. If you’d like to ask us any questions about finding a forklift with a load capacity that’s right for your site, call us on 0113 393 2881 or email enquiries@moorgateltd.co.uk.

We offer a comprehensive range of forklifts that are available to buy and delivered to your site at your convenience.

Neil Brook

Neil Brook is the Managing Director of Moorgate, leading the company since 1995. With his comprehensive understanding and decades of experience, Neil is a trusted authority in all things forklift related, from forklift sales and hire to repairs, training and servicing.

Contact our friendly team for advice.

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