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When it comes to an emergency, you don’t need OSHA forklift certification to know how crucial it is to be able to evacuate a building where there is danger present. Fires, flooding, or even something as unexpected as a terror attack could force employees to need a quick exit. OSHA officials contend that by securing the doors, the supermarket put its employees at serious risks that could cause injury or even death.

The market was cited for what is termed as one willful violation of a “locked exit” and four serious violations for blocked exits. Any serious violation is noted when death or serious physical injury could occur from the block, so the $62,000 fine encompasses these violations.

Though a forklift may not be used in a supermarket setting, forklift certification training dictates that unlocked exits and an escape route must be present for any employee in any work situation. A forklift certification card is required for anyone operating a forklift or heavy machinery on the job. As you may know, accidents can happen on any work site – so whether you’re working on a construction site or supermarket, it’s important to ensure employees are notified of the most viable escape routes.

Employees working at the supermarket don’t require a forklift certification card to be on the floor – therefore, some of them may not be aware that locked doors are a violation of OSHA standards. Employees who don’t need forklift certification or other such training to complete job duties may not have any ideas what their options truly are.

There is no word yet from the supermarket as to whether or not the fine will be contested in any way. The employer has a set amount of time to contest OSHA fines. If there is no contest or appeal, the employer will be responsible for paying the fines within a set period of time.

OSHA forklift certification and other on the job testing involves hands-on training. This training will cover exits for escape should any serious hazard occur in the workplace.

You don’t need a forklift certification card to protect yourself from hazards. It’s important to understand all the dangers in the workplace, whether those dangers include fires, electricity, or any other hazard present. By restricting employees from exit, the supermarket owner held employees back from escape measures should any kind of hazard happen – and for that, an employee has to be accountable.

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Rogelio Lowe, also known as Roger Lowe, 44, of Thornton, also must serve three months of home confinement and 300 hours of community service. Indicted in October 2009 on 11 counts of mail fraud and false statements, Lowe pleaded guilty in July to two counts of mail fraud.

Lowe operated E&D Environmental Safety Training Inc. on Industrial Boulevard in Hayward. He admitted in his plea agreement that from 2007 through 2009 he defrauded his paying students by giving them classes that didn’t comply with federal law.

Asbestos, a building material classified as a hazardous substance and known carcinogen, can only be removed by someone who has completed a four-day, 32-hour training course including lectures, demonstration, at least 14 hours of hands-on training and individual respirator fit testing. The student must then pass a closed-book examination, and after receiving a certificate, must take an annual refresher course.

Lowe admitted in his plea deal that he didn’t teach the course for the required number of hours; held classes that were no more than 30 minutes in length; provided answers to the closed-book examinations; and forged tests for students that did not attend a test day. He then issued certificates to students and charged their employers accordingly,

both for initial training and refresher courses. He also submitted rosters of the inadequately trained students to state authorities.

PRE-OPERATIONAL INSPECTIONS
All operators must perform pre-operational equipment checks on powered industrial vehicles. Frequently operated vehicles, such as aircraft tugs, shall be inspected daily, prior to first use. Less frequently operated vehicles shall be inspected prior to the first use during any workshift.
Operators shall indicate the completion of the pre-operational equipment check by signing and dating that specific vehicle’s checklist. A vehicle shall be unsafe to operate if it does not pass any critical item in the checklist. Each operator must ensure that a satisfactory pre-operational checklist is completed prior to operating that vehicle.
1.    If the powered industrial vehicle is found safe to operate, indicate so on the pre- operational checklist.
2.    If the vehicle is found unsafe to operate:

• Note the problem on the checklist
• Remove the key(s) from the vehicle and place a red Danger Do Not Operate tag
  on the steering wheel or control lever of the vehicle.
• Notify management of the deficiency. Management, or their designee, is
  responsible for initiating vehicle repairs. All vehicle repairs shall be made only by
  authorized personnel.
• It is strictly against (Co. Name) policy to operate any defective powered industrial
  vehicle or one that has a Danger Do Not Operate tag placed on the steering
  wheel or control lever.

3.    Vehicles shall not be driven up to anyone positioned in front of a fixed object.

4.    Passengers shall not ride on vehicles not configured for such purposes.

5.    Operators shall not block access to fire or emergency exits, stairways, emergency
equipment, or electrical panels.

6.    Under all travel conditions, operate the vehicle at a speed that will permit it to be
brought to a stop in a safe manner.

7.    Stunt driving and horseplay is prohibited.

8.    Use caution when driving over wet or slippery surfaces.

9.    Running over loose objects on the floor is prohibited.

10. The operator is responsible for cleaning up all fluid leaks (fuel, oil, hydraulic,
transmission, etc.) from the floor.

11. Operator’s are required to report all powered industrial vehicle accidents and incidents
involving personnel, building structures, and equipment to management immediately. 12. Vehicles shall be operated only as intended and in accordance with manufacturer’s
recommendations and limitations. 13. If the vehicle is equipped with seat belts or other restraining devices, the operator must
use these devices. 14. Operators shall yield to pedestrians at all times.

15. Where vision is obstructed in the direction of travel, operators must proceed at slow
speed and proceed with caution. The vehicle’s warning horn shall be sounded, if
equipped. Operators shall ensure sufficient horizontal and vertical clearance is
maintained when operating vehicles. 16. A powered industrial vehicle is considered to be attended when a qualified operator is
less than 25 feet from the vehicle that remains in view. In this case, before leaving the operator’s position, the operator shall:

• Bring the vehicle to a complete stop
• Place the directional controls in neutral
• Apply the parking brake or other positive stopping mechanism such as chocks

17. A powered industrial vehicle is considered to be unattended when the operator is more than 25 feet from the vehicle or whenever the operator leaves the vehicle and it is not in view, regardless of the distance. In this case, before leaving the operator’s position, the operator shall:

• Follow the procedures listing in item #16
• Stop the engine or turn off the power source

18. Vehicles shall not be operated with a leak in the fuel system.

19. Operators are prohibited from placing arms or legs outside the running lines of
vehicles.

20. Fuel tanks shall not be filled while the engine is running.

21. Open flames shall not be used for checking the electrolyte level in storage batteries or
gasoline levels in fuel tanks.

22. Industrial vehicles shall not be altered so that the relative position of the various parts
are different from originally installed.

23. Industrial vehicles shall be kept in a clean condition, free of excessive dirt, oil, and
grease.

24. Preventative maintenance schedules shall be set by each department manager or their
designee.

25. If the load being carried obstructs the operator’s forward view, the operator shall travel
in reverse.

26. The operator will slow down and sound the horn, if equipped, where the view is
obstructed.

27. Grades shall be ascended or descended slowly. The load must face up grade on all
grades greater than 10%. The load shall be raised only as far as necessary to clear the
road surface.

28. Only stable loads or safely arranged loads may be handled. Caution must be exercised
when handling off-center loads.

29. Only loads within the rated capacity of the vehicles shall be handled.

30. The load engaging means shall be placed under the load as far as possible; the mast
shall be carefully tilted backwards to stabilize the load.

31. Batteries must be disconnected before repairs are made to a vehicles electrical system. 32. All parts requiring replacement shall be replaced only with parts of equivalent safety.
SUBCONTRATORS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES
Any contractors working in the company’s facilities or jobsite will be informed of the written hazardous material program and where to locate MSDSs. It will be the responsibility of that employer to properly train his employees in the avoidance or emergency procedures for these materials.

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Who is the Trainer?

It is best to plan for classroom training as well as hands-on, on-the-job training. More than one person can conduct training, as long as the trainer is specifically qualified to do so. Most organizations have one person or team handle the various aspects of training for new employees, as well as keeping current employees up to standard.

You may also want to hire an outside person to train your employees. Third-party training consultants may include:

• Forklift suppliers
• Third-party, independent compliance consultants
• Trade organizations or specialized training schools
• NSC (National Safety Council)

No matter who trains your operators, you must evaluate their performance and ensure they know and follow safety guidelines. Additionally, and this is very important – you must keep records of these evaluations for any of your employees who operate forklifts. Failing to present adequate certification paperwork will result in an OSHA violation.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Employee Certification

In many instances, your company will not be the one to train your employees initially. As a result, you may have a number of operators whose training has originated from different sources.

Regardless of whether or not your company has trained your operators or they’ve received training from an outside source, including a union, training organization, previous experience or a temp agency, you need to demonstrate a training certification record. This goes for ALL employees.

Here are some rules of thumb:

• If you outsource training to a temp agency, be able to present a contract of the training process, as well as certificates for each operator.
• If your operators have been working with you for many years, you don’t need to retrain. However, you still need to ensure they’re properly evaluated and certified. Have your trainer work with the operator using his current work routines to ensure proper safety guidelines are followed. REMEMBER TO EVALUATE AND CERTIFY!

• If a Union has trained an operator, have your evaluator observe the operator, issue training on any issues he sees fit, and document everything before certifying him.

Please note that any employee, regardless of their time with your company, must be re-trained if he uses a new, unfamiliar piece of equipment. You must be able to demonstrate your employees are safety-trained on all equipment they use.

______________________________________________________________________________

If lifts or other aerial devices are being operated in your workplace, you need to ensure that the proper precautions are taken so that an employee doesn’t fall.

When beginning a fall avoidance training program for your employees, one of the first things you should consider is whether or not the equipment you are using in your business meets your needs.

Is the equipment easy enough to keep clean, and up-to-date? Is it safe for your employees to use, and do you have a regular method of ensuring that safety within your workplace?

If the answer is no, you may need to consider updating your equipment. In fact, you should have a regular update schedule as part of your documented training efforts. Make sure that you check equipment regularly, and make note of the condition of the equipment in your documentation.

Fall Restraint and Arrest

A Fall restraint is a device that can either be a rail, or a tethering or harnessing device. This device will stop your employee from reaching the Fall Hazard. For instance, if your employee is working on a sloped roof, the fall hazard is the non-sturdy area at the edge of the roof that could cause a dangerous fall.

Guard rails and harnesses prevent your employees from potential harm, so they’re a very important part of your training program.

OSHA guidelines detail the concept of Fall Arrest. A Fall Arrest system should stop your employees from falling if they get too close to the fall hazard area.  OSHA Guideline ANSI A92.5-2006 states:

2 Fall Arrest System.

• An anchorage, full body harness and a lanyard used to arrest an

employee in a fall from an aerial platform. Such systems allow a fall

over the guardrail system. The force applied to the body shall be

limited to 1,800 lbs. (8,000N).

• (2.1) A fall arrest system shall allow workers to move around the

platform but provide a minimum of lanyard slack.

• (2.2) A fall arrest system for aerial lifts shall include a lanyard

and full body harness. A deceleration device if used will not allow

a fall further than that required to arrest the fall without

exceeding 1800 lbs. of force on the worker. Fall arrest systems,

beyond the anchorage, are not part of the aerial work platform

and are to be specified and supplied by the user of the aerial

work platform.

These guidelines seem pretty clear, but it’s not so easy to implement an effective Fall Arrest system.

Two of the main considerations you need to make when implementing a fall system for your workplace are:

• Clearance/Energy Abosrbance
• Objects in the way

Clearance is incredibly important.  A person might normally think that a harness system with a six foot clearance will keep an employee safe if the fall distance is ten feet – right?

Well, not really right. If your employee is six feet tall, his head and/or feet might still hit the ground if you don’t ensure there’s less footage used in your fall system.

When considering clearance, you want to take into account the height of the employee, the distance between the ground and the fall hazard area, and the length of the rope. You need to make sure there’s going to be a safe fall arrest if a fall happens. Don’t assume that a harness with a certain clearance will be enough to meet your needs.

You should also think about energy absorbance. The weight of the employee and the shock of the bounce are both things that the harness needs to be able to handle, and that you need to understand before calculating clearance in a potential fall.

Additionally, every safety situation should take into account the possibility of objects in the way.  Make sure that you prepare for, train for, analyze, and document how to deal with each unique safety situation that could happen in your workplace. Are there high beams or objects in the way that an employee could hit during a fall? If so, then you need to make sure that the employee will clear these objects during a fall as well.  Don’t just worry about the ground – make sure that your equipment addresses a fall from any angle, with respect to the objects around the fall hazard.

Harnesses and Lanyards

A harness or lanyard works to attach you to an anchor point. Remember the ABCs? Your harness is your C (Connector) that connects you to you’re a (Anchor).

The purpose of the harness is SOLELY for safety. Your employees need to understand that they should be using the harness only to connect to their anchor point for safety. Many employees try to use the harness to climb up to higher heights for work, or for safety when leaning over a tipping point in a lift.

You need to remind your harness that harnesses used in the workplace are not used for the same purpose as, say, mountain climbing. A work harness should be used only for safety, and only in case of an accident. The harness is the employee’s last stop before hitting the ground, so using it for a different purpose other than the one it’s intended for could have dire consequences.

What Constitutes as a Lanyard or Harness?

A body belt and lanyard aren’t enough when it comes to aerial lifts. If your employee is working on an aerial lift, you need to make sure that they are using a full body harness.

The employee could also be thrown around and injured if the lift malfunctions, so your safety harness should be able to handle this possibility as well. You should also include what could happen to the employee during air lift malfunction in your risk assessment, and the safety precautions you will train employees to use if something like this should happen.

Consider, plan for, and document and train any possibility of risk to the employee.  Don’t just think about an accident the employee could have by falling – think about equipment, weather, or other issues that could cause an employee to fall, and make sure those are addressed.

QUIZ

1. A good fall arrest system DOES NOT include:
   1. A body harness
   2. A lanyard
   3. C. A specialized belt
   4. An anchor point
2. An employee can become hurt on an aerial lift by
   1. Falling and hitting the ground
   2. Falling and hitting an object on the way down
   3. Being thrown around during an equipment failure
   4. D. All of the above

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