With the wide application of electric forklifts in warehouse storage, manufacturing workshop and cargo distribution scenarios, standardized on-site communication is one of the core prerequisites to avoid operation accidents. Unlike open operation scenarios, many electric forklift working areas have stacked high goods, narrow aisles, and partial blind spots that block the operator’s sight. Improper or ambiguous communication often leads to collision, cargo dropping and other unnecessary safety hazards. Establishing a set of unified, easy-to-identify hand-signal and supporting communication norms can effectively improve the overall safety level of electric forklift operation.

First, all on-site personnel involved in electric forklift operations should follow unified hand-signal specifications that are consistent across the whole work site. All hand signals must be made within the clear visible range of the forklift operator, with full arm and body movement to avoid small, vague gestures that are easy to be misjudged. The basic common signals include: the stop signal that extends the arm horizontally forward and waves the palm down repeatedly, the movement guidance signal that indicates moving forward or backward with clear arm stretching direction, the load handling signal that raises or lowers the arm to remind the operator to lift or drop the fork, and the direction adjustment signal that guides the forklift to turn left or right. No personnel shall use self-defined gesture habits to direct the forklift operation, all on-site commanders need to receive professional pre-job training to master all standard signals.

Second, auxiliary communication measures should be matched according to the actual working environment. For working scenarios with high ambient noise that may block line of sight temporarily, staff can use stable two-way radio communication tools as supplement. A fixed response mechanism should be established: after the operator receives any operation instruction, he must give a clear reply to confirm that he has received and understood the instruction, instead of executing the action directly by implicit assumption. Before each shift, all personnel participating in the same forklift operation task shall carry out short pre-work communication, confirm the operation route, hidden blind spots and special attention points of the current shift, so as to eliminate potential ambiguity in advance.

Third, daily regular inspection and drill mechanism is necessary to maintain the compliance of operation practices. The management team can organize regular hand signal recognition assessment for forklift operators and on-site commanders every month, to ensure that all relevant personnel can correctly identify and make each standard signal. Once the operator finds that the command gesture is unclear or the radio communication information is ambiguous during the operation, he should stop the forklift in a safe area immediately and confirm the correct instruction before continuing the follow-up work. Non-related personnel are not allowed to send any operation signal to the running electric forklift at will, to avoid wrong command caused by random guidance.