Winter Forklift Safety and Maintenance Tips for 2024

As winter approaches, ensuring the safety and maintenance of your forklifts becomes increasingly important. Forklifts experience wear and tear throughout the year, but the cold, harsh conditions of winter can accelerate this process. Shorter daylight hours, icy surfaces, and increased end-of-year pressures can place additional strain on both operators and vehicles, leading to potential accidents or breakdowns.

By following essential winter forklift safety and maintenance practices, you can protect your equipment, staff, and operating areas, ensuring a safe and productive winter season. Here are some key tips to help you prepare for the colder months.

Be Prepared for Ice

One of the main concerns during winter is ice, which creates slippery surfaces that can increase the risk of accidents, especially when operating heavy machinery like forklifts. Before starting work, always check for ice and snow and ensure you have grit and de-icers available to prepare work areas.

If you’re using forklift hire services, ensure that the vehicles are equipped to handle icy conditions. It’s crucial to check fuel and de-icer levels before operating a forklift in cold weather, and allow plenty of time for the machine to warm up before use. Remember that stopping distances increase significantly on icy surfaces, so maintain firm control of the vehicle and be prepared to react if it skids.

Additional Ice Safety Tips:

Use winter-grade fuel for forklifts operating in extreme cold, as it prevents gelling and ensures smoother operation.

Implement a winter-specific checklist for daily safety measures before use.

Check Your Tyres Regularly

Regular tyre maintenance is essential throughout the year, but it becomes especially critical during the winter months. Cold weather can exacerbate tyre wear, and slippery surfaces demand tyres that are in optimal condition.

For forklifts operating outdoors or in unheated spaces, conduct thorough tyre inspections before use, checking for wear, cracks, or flat spots. Proper inflation is also vital; tyres should not be over or under-inflated to ensure safe handling.

If your forklifts show signs of worn tyres, replace them immediately. This is particularly important when using forklift hire services, as you’re responsible for ensuring the hired equipment remains in good working order.

Additional Tyre Maintenance Tips:

Regularly clean tyres to remove snow, ice, and salt, which can compromise their performance.

Keep Forklifts Covered

Cold weather can cause mechanical issues, such as frozen fluids and delayed start times. If possible, keep your forklifts parked indoors or in sheltered areas to protect them from the elements. If indoor storage isn’t available, consider using appropriate covers to shield your forklifts from ice and frost.

This is especially relevant when using forklift servicing packages, as it ensures the machinery remains in optimal condition even during periods of disuse.

Ensure Visibility

Winter months bring shorter daylight hours and reduced visibility due to fog, rain, and snow. This makes it crucial to ensure that both forklifts and operators are highly visible at all times.

Make sure all forklift lights are functioning properly and that operators wear high-visibility clothing. Additionally, keep workspaces well-lit to avoid accidents caused by low visibility.

Enhanced Visibility Measures:

Add extra lighting to forklifts for better visibility.

Apply reflective tape to enhance the visibility of the forklift’s forks and body.

Monitor Fluid Levels

In cold weather, vehicle fluids such as hydraulic fluid and coolant can freeze, leading to breakdowns. To avoid this, check fluid levels daily and ensure they are topped up. Gas and diesel forklifts consume more fuel in cold temperatures, so they may need refuelling more frequently than usual.

Before operating any forklift, allow time for the engine to warm up. Let the machine run idle for about a minute and operate hydraulic functions to help circulate the oil.

Regular forklift servicing checks should also be scheduled during winter to ensure all fluids are at appropriate levels and there are no leaks that could lead to mechanical failure.

Expand Operator Training

Winter weather demands more than just basic forklift training. It’s important to ensure your operators are equipped with the knowledge to handle cold-weather challenges safely.

Winter-specific forklift counterbalance training should cover cold start procedures, recognition of snow and ice hazards, and adjustments to driving techniques for slippery surfaces. Additionally, operators should be trained in handling frozen or slippery loads and using any winter-specific attachments like snow ploughs or salt spreaders.

Winter-Specific Forklift Attachments

To keep your operations running smoothly during winter, consider investing in winter-specific forklift attachments. These can make tasks like clearing snow or spreading salt much easier and safer.

Snow plough attachments: Ideal for clearing snow from yards and traffic areas.

Sweeper attachments: Useful for removing light snow or debris.

Salt spreaders: Help prevent ice formation and improve traction on large areas.

In Adverse Conditions, Don’t Drive

Finally, if weather conditions are too severe, it’s safer to postpone forklift operations rather than risk an accident. High winds, heavy snow, or rain can make lifting dangerous, potentially leading to damage or injury. Planning ahead and ensuring your team is well-versed in winter safety procedures will help minimise disruption and keep everyone safe.

By following these guidelines, you can protect both your people and equipment. Keeping safety at the forefront of your operations during winter is key to preventing accidents and ensuring continued productivity.