Making Forklift Making Safer

Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. (TMHU) announced that the Quality Assurance department at Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg., Inc. (TIEM) has achieved 200,000 consecutive hours worked without a recordable accident according to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The 200,000 hours represents 1,000 work days. Achieving this record in a plant that makes forklifts adds to the accomplishment, the company believes.

“Forklift manufacturing is unique from other industrial equipment due to the weight of components,” the company stated in its announcement. “An average size forklift weighs three times more than an automobile. As such, TIEM put into place safety programs to address ergonomic and hazardous challenges.”

For example, TIEM created a safety “Dojo,” or training area, on the shop floor. Associates learn safety awareness and practices with a hands-on approach in these areas. More than a dozen “Dojo” workstations address a wide range of risk assessments from fire evacuation to hoist and crane safety to tool inspection and ergonomics.

 “At Toyota, safety is the top priority,” said Kazue Sasaki, president of TIEM and chairman of Toyota Material Handling North America. “This remarkable safety achievement was accomplished through the hard work of all Quality Assurance associates and their leadership.”