AeroVironment promotes National Forklift Safety Day

AeroVironment, a leading supplier of industrial fast and opportunity charging solutions for electric forklifts, has announced participation this week in the Industrial Truck Association’s (ITA) National Forklift Safety Day.

National Forklift Safety Day is an opportunity each year for companies to highlight the safe use of forklifts and support equipment, including batteries and chargers. According to Compliance and Safety Statistics, more than 100,000 forklift accidents occur every year, costing businesses an estimated $135 million. In addition, one in six workplace deaths is caused by forklift accidents.

National Forklift Safety Day was held on June 14, 2016, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. ET at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Avenue, Washington, DC. The event featured speakers from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, the National Safety Council, key industry representatives and the chairman of the congressional OSHA Oversight Subcommittee.

Ken Karklin, general manager and vice president of the Efficient Energy Systems business segment at AeroVironment, said the company strongly promotes the importance of National Forklift Safety Day, emphasizing the value of all stakeholders committing to a greater focus on this important topic, not just on one day, but throughout the entire year.

“Safety has always been a top priority for AeroVironment, with an added focus on forklift safety since we started developing fast chargers for electric forklifts more than 15 years ago,” he said. “Our goal remains improving environmental quality and safety by promoting and enabling the efficient use of zero emission electric forklifts. Our advanced monitoring and telematics technology protect valuable assets and minimize the need to acquire or change batteries, thus reducing cross plant traffic and related accidents.”

AeroVironment ‘s solutions include features that detect potential hazards before they materialize. An advanced cable connector health monitoring technology detects connector abnormalities during charging sessions, alerting users to possible charger and battery output issues that could potentially result in injuries to employees.

Karklin said AeroVironment’s design safety begins at the product concept stage and continues through manufacturing and training. “We leverage new technologies continuously to improve safety for all our new and existing products. We believe it’s important to join with the Industrial Truck Association and other manufacturers in continuing to enhance product safety and promote awareness about safety throughout the entire industry year-round.”