The numbers tell the story about forklift accidents. Here are forklift accident statistics that we found around the web:
- There are roughly 85 forklift deaths and 34,900 serious injuries each year due to forklift accidents (data from 2007), according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
- 42% of the forklift fatalities are caused by forklift driver being crushed by a lift truck that tips over.
- The safest place for a forklift operator to be during an accident is strapped into the seat with their seatbelt fastened.
- In the United States, approximately one person is killed in a forklift accident every 3 days on average. Most deaths occur when a forklift operator jumps from a lift truck that is rolling over.
- Forklift roll-overs represent around 25% of forklift-related deaths. This is the leading cause of death involving lift trucks.
- According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the three most common types of forklift injuries happen when: 1) A forklift rolls or overturns. 2) Workers are hit, struck, crushed or pinned by a forklift. 3) A warehouse worker falls from a forklift.
- Roughly 1/4 of injuries in warehouses occur on the loading dock including injuring lumper service workers.
- Of the approximately 850,000 forklifts in the United States, 11% will be involved in some form of accident. For more forklift accident statistics and data: See this infographic.
- In 2015, there were 225,534 forklifts sold in the U.S. That is based on all classes, excluding exports. (Source: MHI)
- Non-serious injuries related to forklift accidents are 61,800 each year. (Source: Article) This would include bumps, collisions and with structures such as racking, where asset and rack protector technology is installed to minimize damage and injury.
- Forklifts are responsible for only 1% of all warehouse or factory accidents. However, the accidents are more serious than other types of accidents.
- Forklift accidents account for 10% of all physical injuries in the workplace.
- Non-serious injuries related to forklift accidents reach 61,800 each year in the USA.
- If forklift-operating companies deployed more stringent training policies, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) says that about approximatetly 70% of forklift accidents in the US could be prevented.
More forklift info
Want to know why forklifts are so dangerous to be around? Find out in this article here.
Forklift deaths on video
You can see a compilation of deaths caused by forklifts here on video. Viewer discretion is advised.
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