It’s widely known that the average warehouse’s forklift battery room is home to a number of dangers to personnel who work there. OSHA requires all warehouse personnel to follow strict safety precautions, from wearing personal protective gear to following a number of procedures to prevent accidents.
But what happens when you neglect all that battery room safety signage warning against the dangers of the forklift battery changing system? You could end up dead. Satisfy your morbid curiosities with this list of the top three ways you can die by forklift battery:
Explosion
Each lead-acid forklift battery releases hydrogen gas when it has a charge higher than 80% on battery charger stands. This is a natural chemical reaction within the battery that allows it to generate the charge that powers the forklift itself. OSHA regulations state that all battery rooms must have adequate ventilation to protect against the dangers of hydrogen gas — because when hydrogen gas is in the air at a higher concentration than 1%, an explosion can occur. If you’re close to the battery room’s battery charger stands when an explosion happens, you’re probably going to die — or at the very least end up with some pretty impressive burns.
Asphyxiation
Another characteristic of hydrogen gas is its ability to literally take your breath away. If a warehouse worker inhales hydrogen gas, he or she will be unable to breathe and can end up passing out due to lack of oxygen. If inhaled in high enough concentrations, hydrogen gas will be fatal — that is, if you haven’t been burned alive in a massive explosion yet.
Being crushed alive
Forklift batteries weigh around 2,000 pounds, on average. And while most forklift batteries are stored and transported too close to the ground to hurt anyone if they fall, a freak accident could always occur if you walk under a battery storage rack that collapses on top of you. It’s pretty hard to survive two tons of weight falling on your head.
Still alive after forklift battery handling? Share your best tips on not dying in the battery room with us in the comments below!
