Hazard Assessment & Planning

When planning for a work site, remember that the goal of the employer should be to eliminate all risks. If risks cannot be eliminated, then the employer should attempt to control them in order to reduce the potential for injury as much as possible. One way to eliminate risks before workers ever step onto a work site is to design a proper work facility. When designing a facility, an employer must:

• Ensure adequate space for operation of equipment, including lift trucks and other heavy machinery.
• Ensure proper lighting and ventilation for workers' safety.
• Provide walkways that are separate from the path of lift trucks or other machinery, as far as is reasonably practicable.
• Keep the floor surfaces uncluttered and free of hazards, including tools, equipment, trash, and anything that may make the surface slippery.

While proper facility design can help tremendously, it may not completely eliminate all hazards at the workplace. For those risks that are still present, the goal of employers and site managers should be control.

To learn more about Forklift Safety visit our Canada Forklift Safety Online Training web page.