The UK Material Handling Association (UKMHA) has published a warning about the risks of oil leaking from hoses during maintenance activities.

The warning forms part of a new series of Safety Alerts created by the UKMHA Health & Safety Group to highlight hazards and safe working practices for technicians working on material handling equipment.

The first Safety Alert looks at an incident involving a disconnected hydraulic line which led to an injury being sustained by the forklift engineer following an oil spillage. The document identifies the root cause and contributory factors, and offers guidance on actions that should be taken to prevent similar incidents occurring.

David Goss, technical director for UKMHA says the incident resulted in the engineer sustaining a fractured wrist and three weeks of lost working time. “This was a preventable situation, as are most incidents, which is why we feel it is vital to publish these Safety Alerts with clear instructions on how to avoid a similar situation which could result in an even worse outcome,” he explains.

“Each Safety Alert we publish will highlight a different real-life incident and we urge those working in material handling to use and share this free resource to improve safety in their operations.”