In the United States, there are over 850,000 forklifts currently in operation and the number is growing, according to the Industrial Truck Association. Frighteningly, that same organization estimates 11% of these machines have or will be involved in an injury-causing accident.
While organizations like the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are working hard to bring safety standards up across the nation through information releases and online guidelines for daily safety checklists for forklifts, errors do still occur on a daily basis. Each year, millions of men and women are injured or killed in work-related accidents, many involving forklifts.
Forklift Accident Statistics – Know the Facts:
- WHAT:
- Unsafe forklift operation is the number one cause of OSHA violations.
- WHERE:
- 5% of all forklift accidents occur in the manufacturing industry.
- 8% of all forklift accidents happen in the construction industry.
- HOW:
- Nearly 1 in 4 fatal forklift accidents are caused by a forklift tipping over and crushing a worker.
- Roughly 1 in 5 injury-causing forklift accidents involve a forklift driving over a worker’s foot.
If you have suffered an injury or your loved one was killed in a forklift accident in their workplace, contact the compassionate and dedicated work injury lawyers at Wagner Reese. We provide free consultations to help families harmed by negligence in the workplace learn their options for getting justice and the full compensation they deserve.
Most Common Causes of Forklift Accidents
The vast majority of forklift accidents occur due to negligence. In fact, according to OSHA, about 70 percent of all forklift accidents occur due to improper training and employer’s failure to follow standard safety procedures. From running into someone, causing heavy items to fall off shelves, or overturning the forklift, there are many ways that you can end up injuring yourself or others at work.
Some of the most common causes of forklift accident injuries include:
- Inadequate or improper training
- Insufficient supervision
- Lack of safety equipment
- Workplaces failing to follow safety protocols
- Defective or faulty equipment
If you were injured in a forklift accident at work and you believe that negligence played a role, reach out to Wagner Reese as soon as possible. Our experienced attorneys can help you fully and clearly understand your legal rights and options.
Representing Injured Workers throughout Indiana
Since 1997, Wagner Reese has been fighting for the rights of injured workers throughout the state of Indiana. Our skilled work injury lawyers have over 150+ years of combined legal experience, and we are prepared to put our resources, knowledge, and aggressive trial advocacy to work for you.
Schedule a no-cost, no-obligation consultation when you call or contact us online.