Personal Watercraft Insurance, Marina and Boat Manufacturer Forklift Safety
One challenge seen for marina and boat manufacturers is with fork lift operators having inadequate training. Often on the job training results in the sharing of unsafe practices and inadequate safety measures. The results can be catastrophic when operators make a mistake while stacking boats on racks sometimes several stories high.
Most people see the value in having drivers tested before they are allowed to operate cars or trucks. As specialists who offer marina and boat manufacturer insurance, we like to caution owners and managers to invest in forklift training for staff who work with or near them.
According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), nearly 100 workers are killed annually in forklift accidents. Another 20,000 are seriously injured each year. Those of us in the marina insurance industry know how often marina workers and boat manufacturers use forklifts to move materials or boats.
In one quarter of fatal accidents, an overturning device was considered the cause of death. The next most common causes of fatalities include hitting a nearby worker on foot, a worker being crushed, or a worker falling from a forklift.
Both the United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and NIOSH recommend that any employees at a plant, marina, boat manufacturer, or elsewhere complete operator training and licensing before working with any form of powered industrial truck or forklift.
