Forklifts and carbon monoxide – a deadly mix

The Department of Labour (DoL) will visit 100 major hirers and sellers of forklifts over the next couple of months to raise awareness of the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning when fuel-powered forklifts are used in poorly ventilated areas like cool stores. The visits will ensure that hirers and sellers are aware of the risk, and that they are warning their customers about it.

“Carbon monoxide can kill without warning,” says the DoL’s chief adviser for health and safety, Dr Geraint Emrys. “The gas can quickly build up when fuel-powered forklifts are used in confined spaces or where there is poor ventilation. People can be overcome without realising they have been exposed to it.

“Carbon monoxide is the most common form of poisoning in New Zealand workplaces, and in recent years there have been a number of cases where groups of employees have suffered from the build-up of the gas in warehouses and cool stores.”

Those selling and hiring out forklifts have a legal responsibility to tell their customers about the dangers of carbon monoxide, Dr Emrys says. Section 18A of the Health and Safety in Employment Act (1992) requires hirers and sellers of forklifts to find out from the customer if it will be used in a workplace, what it is going to be used for, where it will be used, and to take all practicable steps to make sure that the forklift is safe for its intended purpose or other reasonable use – either by design, manufacture or maintenance.

“If customers intend to use their forklifts in enclosed or poorly ventilated spaces, the first option hirers and sellers should suggest is an electric-powered forklift. This eliminates any risk of poisoning,” Dr Emrys says. “If this isn’t possible and a fuel-powered forklift is to be used, the customer should be informed that they will need to put in place a safety plan to prevent poisoning. This plan should cover things like information and training for staff, restricting use of the forklift in poorly ventilated areas, keeping them tuned to reduce emissions and installing carbon monoxide alarms.”

The DoL has put together a series of factsheets on fuel-powered forklifts which are available on its website at www.osh.govt.nz/order/catalogue/forklifts-co.shtml