National Forklift Safety Day: Q&A with Feehan at ITA

More NFSD details available at http://www.indtrk.org/national-forklift-safety-day.

Modern: What are the origins and intent of National Forklift Safety Day?
Feehan: It’s the 6th year of NFSD, which started with an ITA conversation about similar events in the United Kingdom and Australia, and we wanted to create something like that in North America. We all talk about safety, but there weren’t a lot of opportunities to raise awareness. Initially we started in June because that’s also the National Safety Council’s safety awareness month, so there are a lot of activities already.

Reception from ITA members and others in the industry was fantastic, and we’re pleased by continued support from members and the associations we work with. NFSD is a great opportunity for competitors to take off their company hats and unify behind the message of safety. A key message we want to share is the need for operator safety training. You see that with their combined efforts it becomes a stronger message that operator training and safety are critical to ensuring a safe environment.

Modern: How has NFSD evolved along its path to raise awareness?
Feehan: We have the national event in Washington, and each year we see more and more companies picking up the logo and hosting events. While we maintain outreach at the national level, there is continuing growth at the state and local levels, which makes a big difference since that’s where the boots are on the ground.

NFSD highlights one day, but safety is 365, so that’s one of the themes we’ve been highlighting. Forklift users need a comprehensive approach and it is a full time cultural program that you need to adopt. We refer people to work directly with an OEM provider and equipment dealer to get their insights. We can’t say one is better than another, but you can ask for their recommendations. They all have fantastic programs if you reach out.

Technology obviously has been enhanced in the last several years, but there are no substitutes for actual hands-on operator training. Technology has improved conditions and enhanced safety, but it’s just a part of a comprehensive safety program.

The numbers back that up. You can go through OSHA’s records and track incident and accident data from back in 1998 when they launched their forklift training rule. We saw a significant decline in accidents and they have continued to decline over years, even with the increased amount of forklift products in the marketplace. That’s a fantastic story, but it’s still important we continue to push and make sure people are aware operator training is essential.

The awareness level has certainly increased. In the first year we had some good numbers, with around 20 million online impressions, but last year we finished with just over 80 million.

Modern: What’s the schedule for the big day?
Feehan: This year in Washington D.C, the National Press Club, the world’s leading professional organization for journalists, will host an NFSD event and presentations on June 11.

The ITA board has put in place a task force of ITA member representatives including roles like general engineering reps, suppliers groups and OEM members. That task force serves as an advisory board and steering committee for themes and speakers and resources.

There are also all of those local and regional events. Each year there are creative new approaches, but you can expect open houses, posters, free operator training, OEM safety program giveaways and safety expos. We’re excited!