How to Fix 6 Common Forklift Operation Mistakes Costing Your Business Money

Many businesses rely heavily on forklifts to maintain efficient operations. These machines are essential for lifting, stacking, and moving heavy loads, enabling smooth workflows and reducing the need for manual labour. Forklifts also have the ability to navigate tight spaces while carrying heavy loads, which makes them indispensable in a variety of industries, such as logistics, warehousing, and manufacturing.

Some businesses invest in forklifts for long-term use, while others get forklifts for rent as a more flexible and cost-effective solution. However, even when renting, businesses are still responsible for ensuring proper operation. Otherwise, operational mistakes can lead to unnecessary wear or even accidents, resulting in expensive repairs, costly employee compensation claims, and workplace disruptions. Fortunately, many of these errors are avoidable with proper practices and operator training.

If you want to optimise efficiency and minimise costs, fixing these common forklift operation mistakes is crucial. Now, let’s identify some of these common operational errors your business may be making and explore practical solutions to prevent them.

1. Improper Loading Practices

Improper loading practices, such as overloading forklifts or failing to distribute weight evenly, are among the most common operational errors. Overloading can cause forklifts to tip over, which can result in damage to goods, equipment, and the surrounding infrastructure. Uneven loads can also make forklifts unstable, increasing the risk of accidents and injury. These issues tend to lead to costly repairs, downtime, and potential delays in fulfilling customer orders.

To mitigate these risks, ensure that your forklift operators are well-trained in proper loading techniques. They must also be aware of the forklift’s maximum weight capacity and understand how to distribute loads evenly to maintain stability. Additionally, make sure to implement routine checks before moving goods to identify and correct improper loading practices. 

2. Lack of Proper Operator Training

Building on the earlier point, untrained or inadequately trained forklift operators can significantly increase the risk of accidents and equipment misuse. These mistakes can lead to higher maintenance costs, workplace injuries, and even legal liabilities. In countries like Singapore, where workplace safety regulations are stringent, failing to provide adequate training can result in fines and damage to your company’s reputation.

That’s why it’s best for businesses to invest in regular operator training and certification programmes. Only then can your operators be educated on safety guidelines, equipment handling, and emergency procedures. Make sure your training materials are updated regularly as well to reflect the latest safety standards and best practices. 

3. Failure to Perform Regular Maintenance

Skipping or delaying forklift maintenance is another costly mistake that can lead to frequent breakdowns, expensive repairs, and reduced equipment lifespans. A poorly maintained forklift is more likely to experience mechanical failures, disrupting operations and impacting productivity. 

Your business can prevent these issues by implementing a comprehensive preventive maintenance schedule. This includes regular inspections, lubrication of moving parts, and timely replacement of worn components. Additionally, operators should perform pre-shift inspections to identify potential issues, such as worn tyres or faulty brakes—or maybe even misaligned forks or prongs. 

4. Neglecting Safety Protocols

Safety should always be a top priority in forklift operations, regardless of the industry they’re used in. Ignoring safety protocols, such as operating forklifts without seatbelts or failing to adhere to designated pathways, increases the risk of accidents. Unsafe practices can also result in injuries to operators and bystanders and damage to goods.

To foster a safe working environment, your business must establish and enforce clear safety guidelines. These include wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, maintaining safe distances from pedestrians, and following marked pathways. You can also assign safety supervisors to monitor operations and address non-compliance to further enhance workplace safety. 

5. Using Forklifts in Applications They Weren’t Designed For

Forklifts are often misused for tasks beyond their design, such as pushing heavy objects or carrying oversized loads. This improper use accelerates wear and tear and compromises the safety of the operator. Such misuse also increases the likelihood equipment breakdowns, leading to additional repair costs.

If you want to prevent this in your company, make sure to clearly define the roles and capabilities of each forklift in your fleet. Educate your forklift operators on the limitations of their equipment and discourage them from using forklifts for unsuitable tasks. Moreover, providing alternative tools for specific jobs, like tow trucks or cranes, can reduce reliance on forklifts for inappropriate tasks. 

6. Driving Forklifts Too Fast

Excessive speed is also a common issue in forklift operations that poses significant safety risks. Driving too fast increases the likelihood of collisions, tipping accidents, and damage to goods or infrastructure. High-speed operation also puts operators and bystanders at greater risk of injury, which can result in legal and medical costs.

One way your business can address this is by enforcing strict speed limits within your warehouses and worksites. Put up clear signage indicating speed limits and designate speed zones to help remind operators of the appropriate driving speed. Furthermore, ask your supervisors to regularly monitor forklift operators and take corrective action if overspeeding is observed. 

Mistakes in forklift operations can have significant financial and operational consequences for businesses. Fortunately, these errors are avoidable with the right strategies in place. Particularly, your business can reduce costs and create a safer working environment by recognising the common forklift operational issues and proactively addressing them. With this approach, you can ensure the forklifts in your fleet remain an asset to your operations, helping maintain efficiency and profitability in the long run.