There are seemingly countless hazards and dangers that come with handling and maintaining forklift batteries as a part of day-to-day warehouse operations. The average lead acid forklift battery weighs in at an immense 2,000 pounds, contains corrosive, dangerous chemicals and can release deadly gases into the air.
Even without the hazards of forklift battery maintenance, there are also numerous dangers to everyday use of battery handling equipment.
It’s clear that battery room safety is one of the top priorities in any warehouse — so be sure to have these four forklift battery safety features installed in your warehouse’s battery room:
Eye-wash station
As stated before, a lead acid forklift battery is full of highly-corrosive chemicals such as sulfuric acid that can accidentally spill out during the forklift battery washing or handling process. While it should be required for all personnel to wear protective eye gear, accidents can still happen — which is why an eye-wash station should be located within 25 feet of every battery room.
Ventilation
During everyday operation and use, the chemicals inside a forklift battery react with one another to create hydrogen gas, which is fatal when inhaled at high enough concentrations. OSHA requires all battery rooms be equipped with the proper ventilation to ensure any escaping hydrogen gas during the forklift battery washing or maintenance processes don’t harm personnel or cause a fire.
Fire extinguishing equipment
Another risk hydrogen gas poses to battery room safety is that it can cause spontaneous combustion once it escapes from a forklift battery. Because of this, it’s essential to install fire extinguishing equipment in all battery rooms such as fire blankets, showers and the trusty fire extinguisher.
Battery room safety signage
Safety signage to warn personnel of potential hazards and reminders in the battery room is another necessity. By locating these warning signs in strategic locations around the room, accidents can be prevented — potentially saving a life in the process.
Have any other tips on staying safe in the lift truck battery room? Share with us and your fellow readers in the comments below. Great references here: solusgrp.com