Many indoor cargo handling scenarios including distribution warehouses, enclosed manufacturing workshops and covered sorting yards widely use electric forklifts for their no direct tailpipe emission and low noise performance. A large proportion of new operators often form the wrong misconception that electric forklifts do not produce any polluting exhaust, so there is no need to pay special attention to indoor ventilation management during operation. This wrong judgment will bring hidden risks to operators’ physical health in long-term continuous work.

The first core part of related operator training is to clarify the hidden factors that may affect indoor air quality during electric forklift operation. Although electric forklifts do not have the exhaust emission problem of internal combustion forklifts, long-time high-load operation of drive motors will bring trace heat-related volatile substances, and improper battery charging process may also produce trace non-toxic but irritating gaseous substances. If these substances accumulate in an enclosed space without sufficient fresh air exchange, they may cause mild symptoms such as eye irritation, dry throat and dizziness for operators working for more than 3 hours continuously.

The second core training module covers practical operational specifications for indoor ventilation awareness. Before starting each shift’s operation, operators need to make a quick check on the working area’s ventilation conditions: confirm that the fixed fresh air system and exhaust fans run normally, check no stacked goods or pallets block the air inlet and outlet vents. For temporary enclosed operation areas that lack fixed ventilation facilities, operators should inform on-site managers to arrange mobile ventilation equipment in place before entering the area to drive the forklift. During the operation process, operators should take the initiative to apply for 5 to 10 minutes of rest in a well-ventilated open area after 3 hours of continuous work, to relieve physical fatigue and avoid the impact of accumulating trace substances. For the designated forklift charging zone, operators must keep the supporting ventilation system running during the whole charging process, and do not stay for a long time beside the charging forklift without necessary work.

The last part of the training focuses on daily compliance habit cultivation. Warehouse operation teams can include indoor ventilation awareness content into monthly regular safety training sessions, arrange small scenario simulation exercises to help all operators form solid operation habits. No extra high investment is needed, the establishment of correct ventilation awareness can effectively reduce the potential health risks of indoor electric forklift operation, and maintain stable and efficient daily work order.