Stop falls by following this rule…

Falls, slips and trips account for over a third of all UK workplace injuries, with lift truck drivers and warehouse staff ranking highly among them. Every year, falls from stationary and moving lift trucks seriously injure – or worse – approximately 40 workers in the UK. 

But applying the ‘three-points-of-contact’ rule will limit the risk of injury. It simply states that when entering or exiting a truck, you should maintain three points of contact until you are either in your seat or standing firmly on the ground. This means one hand and two feet or two hands and one foot at all times.

Best practice for mounting and dismounting a forklift truck is as follows:

• Mount/dismount only when the truck is stationary
• Face the truck
• Use the handgrips and steps provided
• Look all around for hazards
• Get on and off the truck under control and one foot at a time
• Do not jump
• Take extra care in rain, snow, or icy conditions