Forklift safety program earns co-op free tacos

Looking for ideas on how to promote warehouse safety? You might want to look to the example set by TreeTop Inc.

TreeTop, an apple growers' cooperative in Selah, Wash., recently took first-place honors in a safety contest run by material handling equipment dealer Raymond Handling Concepts Corp. (RHCC) in honor of National Forklift Safety Day. For its "Safety Show Offs" contest, RHCC invited customers to submit photos and statements on how they promote a safe workplace. TreeTop won for a dual-step safety program that incorporates both safety equipment and high-visibility gear, the dealership said. On the equipment end, the co-op outfitted its forklifts with blue lights that illuminate when the trucks are traveling in reverse, giving both the operator and nearby pedestrians a clear visual signal of where the truck is and where it's going. As for the gear, TreeTop instituted a requirement that everyone in the warehouse wear high-visibility vests for added safety.

In addition to bragging rights, TreeTop's safety initiative earned the co-op a tasty prize: a free lunch for all 27 employees, catered by Tacos El Rey.

Along with organizing the contest in honor of National Forklift Safety Day, RHCC marked the event by posting its Top 10 forklift safety tips online. You can read them here.