Fork lift truck operation
- Safety Flash
- Published on 2 April 2001
- Generated on 24 October 2025
- IMCA SF 06/01
- 1 minute read
A recent incident on one of our Members’ vessels occurred when working on an internal lifting tool, using a fork lift to lift and install grippers.
What happened?
The gripper fell off of the forks and hit a man on his hand, causing serious crush wounds.
The main reason for the incident was that the forks were being used as a lifting tool. The grippers were attached using a rope. The rope was not secured against slipping.
Proper slings/shackles should have been used, along with a device to prevent slipping. On a similar vessel, a shoe and tie-back device is used.
The lessons learned from the incident were:
- Use fork lift trucks for what they are designed for.
- Use proper slings, shackles and securing devices.
- Supervisors should check on all ongoing work.
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