What To Do During A Forklift Tip Over

Knowing what to do during a forklift tip-over can save your life. Learn the critical steps to protect yourself in this dangerous situation, such as staying in the cab and holding on tight.

Forklift-Related Accidents And Fatalities

On average, 100 people die each year due to forklift-related accidents, with nearly half of those fatalities caused by tip overs. Research, accident data, and witness accounts show that an operator's chance of survival significantly increases if they remain inside the overhead guard area and stay seated during a tip over incident. Staying within the forklift’s protective zone is critical to reducing injury or fatality in such accidents.

Forklift Seat Belt

The sole purpose of the forklift seat belt is not for front-end collisions. Instead, it it there to keep you in the seat in case of tip-over.

When a forklift starts to tip, it's natural to want to jump, but this instinct can be deadly. Two things push you in the wrong direction: momentum pulling you toward the side tipping over and the false sense that the ground, which feels safer, is closer on that side. Unfortunately, you can't escape the machine fast enough, and the overhead guard can crush vital areas like your head, neck, shoulders, or chest. Staying inside the protective guard area is key to survival.

Humans have a natural tendency to extend their arms and legs in the direction of a tipping forklift, as if to stop the machine from falling. However, during a forklift tip over, it's crucial to keep your hands and feet inside the safety confines of the forklift and overhead guard to avoid serious injury.

Surviving A Forklift Tip Over

Put on the seat belt every time you operate a forklift. Adjust the seat belt to tighten as needed.
Push hard against the steering wheel and brace your feet firmly into the floorboard, which will firmly plant you in the seat.
Place both hands on the steering wheel, lean forward, and use the steering wheel as upper body support.
Always lean away from the point of impact. For example, if the forklift is tipping left, lean right.

Help your forklift operators keep safety awareness strong. ProLift offers a variety of safety training classes for operators and in-house trainers.