Why it matters
A forklift or lorry weighs tonnes. A person on foot loses every collision. Workers get struck, crushed against walls or run over by a reversing truck. Forklifts tip over and pin their drivers.
MOM reported that forklifts were involved in 1 in 4 vehicle-related deaths at work in 2022 and 2023. Most of these happen in ordinary places. Think of loading bays, warehouse aisles, site gates and yard junctions.
Order of controls
Start at the top. Each step down relies more on people getting it right every time.
- Remove the need. Plan the layout so vehicles do not have to reverse or cross walkways. Use one-way, drive-through loading.
- Separate. Put physical barriers between walkways and vehicle routes. Give pedestrians their own gate and crossings.
- Engineer. Fit reversing alarms, cameras, flashing beacons and convex mirrors at blind corners. Use speed humps and wheel stops.
- Organise. Set speed limits, traffic rules, exclusion zones, banksmen and key control for forklifts.
- Protect. High-visibility vests, safety helmets and safety footwear. These help people be seen. They do not stop a vehicle.
What the rules require in Singapore
The WSH (Risk Management) Regulations require employers, principals and self-employed persons to assess risks and control them. That includes traffic and transport on your premises. Occupiers must keep the workplace and the routes to and from it safe, according to MOM.
The WSH Council forklift guidelines list the WSQ Operate Forklift course among the legal requirements for operators. Only authorised, trained operators may drive. The traffic guidelines add that drivers of road vehicles need a valid Singapore licence for their class of vehicle.
MOM's circular of 3 January 2025 says every forklift operator must attend refresher training at least once every 3 years. Operators have until 1 January 2027 to comply, and MOM will amend the law to make it mandatory from that date. Occupiers, employers and principals must check that operators have done the refresher before authorising them to drive.
Plan your traffic routes
Write a traffic management plan for the site. The WSH Council guidelines list what it should contain. You need a policy, roles, traffic rules and a risk assessment. You also need safe work procedures, training, an emergency plan and incident investigation.
Walk the site with a plan in your hand. Mark every point where people and vehicles meet. Then fix those points one at a time.
- Clearly marked pedestrian walkways with barriers where vehicles pass close.
- Marked crossings where walkways must cross a vehicle route.
- Speed limit signs. Use lower limits where forklifts and lorries share a road or people are nearby.
- Convex mirrors, stop signs or one-way systems at blind corners.
- Good lighting on roads, junctions, walkways and loading bays.
- Firm, level ground free of potholes and spills.
Reversing and banksmen
The WSH Council notes that many workplace vehicle deaths happen during reversing. The best answer is to stop reversing altogether with a drive-through layout. Where reversing cannot be avoided, mark the reversing area and keep everyone else out of it.
Fit reversing alarms loud enough to hear over the noise. Use wheel stops or buffers at bays. When the driver cannot see behind, use a trained banksman.
A banksman stays visible to the driver at all times. He stands in a safe spot, out of the vehicle's path. He wears a reflective vest and uses signals the driver knows. If the driver loses sight of the banksman, the driver stops. If the driver is unsure, he gets out and looks after checking it is safe to step down.
Forklifts
Forklifts are short, heavy at the back and steer from the rear. They swing wide and tip easily on slopes, uneven ground and sharp turns.
The WSH Council forklift guidelines set clear rules for operators.
- Check the forklift before every shift with a pre-operation checklist. Do not use one with a defect. Report it.
- Wear the seat belt whenever the forklift is moving.
- Never carry passengers or lift people on the forks.
- Know the load weight and stay within the rated capacity on the load chart.
- Travel with the forks low. Look in the direction of travel. Sound the horn at corners and when reversing.
- Give way to pedestrians. Never travel under a suspended load.
- Park only in the marked area. Lower the forks, apply the brake and take the key.
Unattended keys let untrained workers drive. One key often fits every forklift of the same make. Keep a key log or use a key lock system so only authorised operators can start a forklift.
Loading and unloading
Load and unload only in a marked bay. Park the lorry on firm, level ground. Apply the handbrake and switch off the engine. Chock the wheels if needed. Keep the driver in a safe waiting area, away from forklift paths. A driver who wanders among moving forklifts is a pedestrian with no walkway.
Common mistakes
- Painted walkways with no barrier, right next to busy forklift aisles.
- Treating hi-vis vests as the main control.
- Letting "just this once" passengers ride on a forklift.
- No banksman, or a banksman standing behind the vehicle he is guiding.
- Keys left in the ignition during breaks.
- Skipping pre-shift checks because the forklift "was fine yesterday".
- Visitors and delivery drivers walking through the yard unescorted.
- Letting operators' refresher training lapse.
Use it on site: the vehicles & traffic management checklist and the toolbox talk to brief your crew.
Sources
- WSH Guidelines: Workplace Traffic Safety Management, WSH Council.
- Workplace traffic safety management, WSH Council.
- WSH Guidelines: Safe Operation of Forklift Trucks, WSH Council.
- Circular: Mandating Forklift Operator Refresher Training Course (MOM/OSHD/2025-01), Ministry of Manpower.
- Workplace Safety and Health (Risk Management) Regulations, Singapore Statutes Online.
- WSH Act: responsibilities of stakeholders, Ministry of Manpower.
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.
