A reminder of the potentially deadly consequences of forklift use is going out to workplaces one year on from the prosecution of a Ballarat accident.
WorkSafe has urged businesses to review their safety standards after receiving 142 forklift injury claims in 2022, and 8 deaths recorded in the last 4 years.
Delacombe brick manufacturer Enviroflame Firelogs and its director were fined a combined $47,500 in January of 2022 after the director reversed a forklift into a worker, seriously injuring him.
The authority says more workplace injuries and deaths involve forklifts than any other type of equipment but can be avoided if employers put safety first and ensure their machinery and systems of work are fit for purpose.
WorkSafe has warned it has a zero tolerance policy on forklift injuries. In 2022, fines totalling $697,500 were imposed by the courts against companies and directors in 11 WorkSafe prosecutions involving forklifts.
