AEM offers OSHA-approved rough terrain forklifts safety decal

A new safety decal for rough terrain forklifts — “Employer-Certified Operators ONLY” — has been developed by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and approved by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

The decal signifies that the machine should be operated only by personnel who have received employer certification of training and evaluation according to relevant OSHA standards.

Equipment manufacturers working through AEM’s Rough Terrain Forklift Council developed the decal, which is an example of the importance and commitment that AEM manufacturers place on properly trained operators in control of their products. A PDF version of the decal artwork, which companies can use to make their own customized labels, is available at no charge from the AEM Store on the association’s Website, www.aem.org.

The decal is the latest project resulting from an AEM/OSHA alliance promoting jobsite safety. The alliance was formed in October 2007 and brings together the technical expertise of manufacturers with the communication and administrative expertise of OSHA.

The alliance targets rough terrain forklifts, including telehandlers and straight-mast forklifts, with a focus on potential operating hazards including ground conditions, machine mobility, overloading and personnel lifting. The machines were chosen because they are found on nearly all types of construction worksites, and OSHA training requirements for the machines are not always followed by machine owners and operators.

Other AEM-OSHA alliance materials include “best practices” bulletins and safety-message key fobs. AEM also produces operator safety manuals for the machines and offers an online database of “industry-recognized” pictorial illustrations for use in safety and training materials.

“AEM and its member manufacturers are committed to fostering safe equipment operation and we have worked closely with OSHA for many years towards this end. This alliance is an example of our industry’s pro-active education and training efforts,” AEM President Dennis Slater said in a press release.