Forklift lockout refers to the standardized operation of cutting off all power and energy sources of the vehicle and locking the energy switch in the off state before maintenance, troubleshooting or partial adjustment work, which is a core safety measure to prevent accidental startup of the vehicle and cause personal injury. Many front-line operation and maintenance personnel often omit this step to save working time, which leads to unnecessary safety hazards in the actual operation process.

Lockout operation is required in almost all scenarios where personnel need to extend any part of their body into the moving range of forklift components. Common applicable scenarios include regular vehicle maintenance, fault troubleshooting, wear part replacement, deep cleaning of the vehicle chassis and power system, and adjustment of fork accessories.

The standard forklift lockout procedure can be divided into four core steps. First, place obvious warning signs around the operation area in advance, and inform all nearby personnel that lockout maintenance is being carried out, and no irrelevant personnel are allowed to touch the vehicle control system without permission. Second, turn off all operation systems of the forklift, turn the operation gear to the neutral position, pull up the parking brake, and turn the main power switch of the vehicle to the off position. Third, use a special lockout tool to lock the main power switch in the off position, make sure the lock tool is firmly fastened, and the key of the lock shall be kept by the personnel who perform the maintenance operation alone, and shall not be handed over to any other personnel at will. Fourth, try to press the acceleration pedal, pull the control levers of the fork and gantry, and confirm that there is no power output of the vehicle at all, which means the lockout operation takes effect, then the formal maintenance work can be carried out.

After the maintenance work is completely finished, the lockout shall be relieved strictly in accordance with the specifications. The operator shall first count all tools and working personnel, confirm that no tools are left on the vehicle, and no personnel stay in the moving range of any vehicle parts, then remove all warning signs, unlock the special lock tool by himself, and restore the main power supply. After that, test each function of the forklift one by one, and confirm that all indicators return to normal, then the forklift can be put into normal operation.

Enterprises shall arrange regular safety training for all forklift operators and maintenance personnel, to ensure that every relevant personnel can master the full process of lockout operation proficiently, and establish a corresponding safety assessment mechanism to avoid violations. Jian Shu New Energy, focusing on BYD electric forklifts, provides full range of operation specification guidance and related services for users, if you have related demands, please contact us via email: [email protected].