Forklift Accident Worsened by Lack of Rear Compartment Guards

Case Overview

This case involves product liability in the design of a forklift truck, which the plaintiff was operating when he was seriously injured. The plaintiff was driving a forklift truck when he made impact with a piece of fixed machinery. The plaintiff’s legs were crushed and required extensive surgery. The issue is over the design compartment system. The plaintiff alleges that his injuries could have been avoided if the forklift truck had been equipped with rear compartment guards to brace for potential impacts.

Questions to the Construction Safety expert and their responses

Is it standard practice to have rear compartment guards on forklift trucks?

There is a benefit to rear compartment guards, and many sites require their use as a safety precaution.

About the expert

This highly qualified and certified expert has nearly 30 years of experience in OSHA certification and regulation review. In the past, this expert worked as the safety director and plant operator of the Electric Power Research Institute where he needed to become intimately familiar with OSHA regulations. He moved on to several similar roles for several other firms until becoming a full time OSHA safety instructor at a major university.