Nearly all fatalities in forklift accidents happen because the driver becomes trapped or crushed by the overhead guard of the rollover safety cage. This is typically as a consequence of operators not wearing seatbelts while operating a lift truck, according the National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH).
Forklifts usually move at speeds much lower than automobiles. Nevertheless, not fastening a seat belt in a forklift exposes the driver to a bigger potential of harm. However, the cause and effect identified by NIOSH doesn't tell the whole story.
Forklifts that are primarily used indoors, such as in warehouses, may very well look like large mechanical toys, nevertheless they are far from being so. Even a small riding forklift is heavier than a medium sized sedan. The center of gravity of a forklift is also located higher. On top of that, they steer by rotating their rear axle, usually mounted on a pin. This allows forklifts to move around in restricted spaces. It also reduces the effective equilibrium base to a triangle thus making it easy to tip a forklift over. Therefore, even a small bump on the driving surface or a low curb edge can cause a forklift to overturn.
When a forklift starts to rollover, the instinctive response of the driver is to jump. During an overturn, the combined smaller stability base, higher center of gravity and heavy vehicular weight causes a forklift to fall fast and without warning. The bars of the safe cage also get in the way. Therefore, it is extremely difficult for an operator to jump clear. Therefore, the driver suffers serious injuries. The injuries are frequently fatal.
NIOSH reports that in the majority forklift overturn incidences deaths occur because unrestrained operators try to jump out of falling vehicles. The studies also show that during a rollover the safest place for the forklift operator is inside the safety cage securely strapped to the seat. It is, therefore, particularly important for forklift drivers to use seatbelts at all times.