Welcome to the Forklift's Reducing Product Damage training module.

This
module will cover the following topics. Common causes of damaged product
due to forklift handling. And what you, the forklift operator, can do to
decrease this damage. Product damage is an expected part of handling
materials in a warehouse environment. However, product damage is often a
bigger problem than people realize. The total cost of damaged product goes
beyond just the loss of inventory. The product damage that you know about
is usually only a fraction of the total problem. The product damage that goes
unnoticed and unrecorded, that is the more serious problem. because this is
the damage that customers will end up seeing. Unnoticed product damage
has a serious effect on your company's relationship with its customers. Even
if a customer gets damaged product replaced, the net result is still a
negative experience. This bad experience can translate to negative
perception of the company's brand and negative word of mouth. By
improving your forklift handling skills, you can decrease product damage

and contribute to your company's success. Damaged products are usually

the result of one or more of the following causes. Pre-existing product
damage from manufacturing or from delivery. The operator's view is
obstructed by the load or the forklift. An unstable load or the operator is
unfocused or distracted. The next sections will talk about these causes in
more detail. Some damage comes from third parties who deliver the product
to your location. It's important to inspect the delivery before the carrier
leaves because this is usually the last chance to hold the third party
responsible for damage. Before unloading, inspect the overall layout of the
shipping container. If there are any stacks or pallets that might have fallen
into the wall or into each other, inspect them more carefully. Inspect all sides
of a load for possible damage. Look for rips in the stretch wrap or shipping
material which could indicate underlying damage. Run your hands along any
hidden portions of a load to make sure the load is okay. You should wear
gloves during the inspection process in case there are sharp edges.

Sometimes even small dents or scrapes in the packaging can mean serious
damage to the product. If you are unsure if there is damage, open the
packaging and inspect the product. The longer a pallet has been used, the
weaker it gets. A weakened pallet can collapse causing the product to crash
to the ground. Even if the pallet is structurally sound, A pallet with a
protruding nail can scratch or puncture product. For these reasons, it is very
important that pallets be routinely inspected. Problems to look for include
broken or weakened slats, protruding nails, and missing support blocks.
Pallet inspection should be done as part of the unloading and damage
inspection process. Damaged pallets should be taken out of service
immediately so that they do not lead to damaged product. When you're
carrying a load, it can be difficult to see where your forks are. Obstructed
vision is probably the leading cause of forklifts damaging product. A simple
way to avoid this problem is to get out and look whenever you aren't sure
about a situation. For example, if you think the forks might be sticking out
too far,

get down from the cab and check them out. If you think a product in a stack
is in danger of falling over, get out of the cab and check it out. Just
remember this simple phrase, when in doubt, check it out. If forks are too
close together, a load can be prone to tipping off. Always adjust your forks to
their maximum width while still being able to fit the pallet or load. Always
check the fork spread when the type of load being lifted changes. This may
require getting off the forklift and verifying that the fork spread is adequate
for the new load type. If the forks aren't extended far enough under a load,
the load might tip forward. Even with a load that seems balanced, tipping
might occur with a sudden stop or turn. When picking up a product,

make sure the forks extend far enough under a load. Typically, the forks
should extend all the way to the far side of the load without extending too far
out the other side. At the very least, the forks should extend two-thirds of the
way under the load. Policies vary, so check with your supervisor to verify the
depth policy at your workplace. When picking up a load that is part of a
tightly packed group, A common mistake is extending the forks so far that
they come out the other side and accidentally lift another load. This grabbing
can damage pallets or loads or knock over a whole stack of product. To avoid
this problem, first extend the forks about two-thirds of the way under the
load. Lift the load slightly and then slowly pull the load back a small amount.
Then you can set the load down and insert the forks fully under the load.

without worrying about grabbing the loads behind. When in doubt about
where the forks are get down from the cab and check. This may be
necessary if you are not very familiar with the product being handled.
Another common problem is when an operator forgets to set the forks back
to level and goes to pick up a load. The tilted forks can jam into the product
or pallet or push the stack forward. Similarly, If the forks are not kept level
when pulling out of the product, the stack might be pulled backward. Always
keep your forks level when entering or pulling out of a load. Symmetrically
weighted loads should always be centered on the lifting surface. Loads that
aren't centered can tip off the forks. Always familiarize yourself with the type
of load being lifted.

Strangely shaped loads and unbalanced loads should be handled with care.
Strangely shaped loads will usually have centers of gravity not directly in the
center of the load. Even boxes that look symmetrical may have loads that
are off balance. Before lifting any load, become familiar with it. Find out how
the weight is distributed. If the load is inside a package, find out what's
inside and how it will affect the lift. Turning too fast, accelerating too fast,
and stopping too fast are all common causes of product tipping or spilling.
Turning will move the load center of gravity toward the outside of the turn.
The faster a turn is taken, the more unstable the load can become.
Acceleration will move the load center of gravity toward the rear of the truck.
Deceleration, such as when stopping,

will move the load center of gravity forward. Drivers should perform all of
these maneuvers smoothly and slowly to prevent sudden load shifts. Many
warehouses have problems with transporting light products. This is because
light loads tip over more easily than heavy loads. Also, because the loads are
light and don't seem dangerous, operators don't operate as safely with them
as they would with heavier loads. If you're carrying a light load, drive slowly
and carefully and be aware that the load could tip off the forks. Another
problem stems from operators trying to fit too many loads in a rack where
there is not enough room. Some operators might even know there is not
enough room but will attempt to force the load into place. This can result in
scraping and pressure damage to product or, even worse, the rack could
collapse.

Never try to place a load where there is obviously not room for it. If there is
an issue with a dedicated storage place not having enough room for a load,
place the load on the floor temporarily and ask your supervisor what to do.
Stabbing can result from having the forks extended too far out of a load. This
can happen at floor level when first approaching a stack or higher up when
placing the product in the stack. As stated earlier, if you don't know where
your forks are, get out of the cab and take a look. Stabbing can also result
from the practice of pushing a pallet into place using the fork tips. Never use
the forks to slide a product into place. Always lift the load to reposition it.
Stabbing can also occur after raising the forks up for stacking or destacking.
With some forklifts,

If the operator does not throttle down all the way after using the vertical lift,
and then puts the forklift into forward motion, the forklift can jerk forward
and stab product. Raking occurs when the loaded forks are raised or lowered
and accidentally scrape against a product. Sometimes this damage can be
extensive, as the operator often cannot see, feel, or hear the damage until
it's too late. Like many of the problems already discussed, boils down to the
operator not knowing the position of the forks. Avoid impacting or scraping
storage racks with your forklift. This includes corners, shelves, and uprights.
Storage racks are very fragile when compared to forklifts. Sometimes what
seems like a small dent in a rack can lead to structural damage and can
result in collapsing the rack.

Operators can damage both products and racks if they are not careful when
placing or retrieving product. You should be careful not to run into anything
unintentionally. Products in boxes that are kept in stacks can settle, creating
less space for the forks to fit. Drivers who aren't expecting this decreased
amount of space can accidentally stab a box or knock over a stack. Always
do a quick visual inspection of the product before moving it. This will help
avoid any surprises. Never use the forks to drag a settled box. Instead
perform a series of small lifts, incrementally backing out the box as many
times as necessary before putting the forks fully under the load. Bad lighting
conditions can cause accidents. When lighting is insufficient, Operators can't
see the position of the load, the position of their forks, or surrounding
obstacles. If lighting is temporarily bad, use the lights on the forklift to light
up the area. If lighting conditions are very bad or consistently bad, let your
supervisor know about the problem. Never do any of the following when you
are operating a forklift. Talk or text on a cell phone.

Listen to MP3 players or other music devices. Eat or drink. Engage in

horseplay with fellow workers. Always focus your full attention on operating a
forklift. Don't let yourself become distracted, no matter how many times
you've done the same job before. Experienced operators can run into a
different set of problems. While it's good to be confident in your abilities,
experienced operators can sometimes be too confident. This can lead to
taking unnecessary chances, not paying as much attention, and generally
being too relaxed on the job. More important than any product damage, this
kind of overconfidence has the potential to lead to serious injuries. A
surprising number of forklift-related fatalities involve very experienced
operators. It's best to treat every lift like it's a new lift, even if it's similar to
lifts you've done thousands of times before. Thinking this way will allow you
to stay focused on the lift and on your environment. Staying focused will
reduce your chances of damaging product or injuring yourself or others. In
this module, you have learned the most common mistakes in forklift handling
and how to avoid them.

most load damaging mistakes stem from one of the following problems. Pre-
existing product damage, the operators view is obstructed, an unstable load,
or the operator is unfocused or distracted. Operators should be well trained
and confident, but should always remain fully focused on the task at hand.
Paying attention to the load and respecting the power of the forklift will
greatly reduce load damaging mistakes.