A forklift accident or injury cannot occur if there is no hazard or if workers are not exposed to a hazard. Competent persons must be able to identify hazards and recognize who or what may be exposed to them.
What Is a Hazard?
- OSHA Definition: A hazard is “a danger which threatens physical harm to employees.”
- Expanded Definition: A hazard is an unsafe workplace condition or practice (danger) that could cause injury or illness (harm) to employees.
Hazards exist in two forms:
- Surface-Cause Hazards: These are observable, physical hazards such as:
- Unsafe materials, equipment, or environmental conditions
- Worker actions, e.g., being rushed, distracted, or unable to perform tasks safely
- Root-Cause Hazards: These are systemic weaknesses in the safety management system, such as:
- Inadequate training
- Insufficient resources
- Lack of supervision or enforcement
Before an accident can occur, two conditions must be present: a hazard and employee exposure to that hazard.
What Is Exposure?
Exposure occurs in two main ways:
- Physical Exposure: Direct contact with a hazard that can cause injury.
- Example: A worker gets a hand caught in moving equipment.
- Environmental Exposure: Contact with harmful conditions in the workplace that can affect health or well-being.
- Example: A worker suffers hearing loss due to excessive noise levels.