Forklift truck safety initiative unveiled

Two cameras are placed on the forklift, one forward facing camera and one driver facing camera placed at the top of the driver cab. The cameras are hooked up to an online system so incidents can be reviewed immediately. 

Meanwhile, a black box records the speed, braking, location and other relevant data in order to rate the performance of forklift truck drivers. Like the camera footage, driver ratings can be viewed on an online dashboard.

The roll out of the technology follows a successful trial with a number of AXA customers who are seeing positive changes in driver behaviours and a reduction in forklift truck accidents.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, 42% of work related fatalities involve workplace transport. From March 2017 to March 2018, AXA received 281 claims from incidents involving forklift trucks.

Douglas Barnett, Head of Mid-Market and Customer Risk Management, AXA Insurance, stated: “Our aim is to make sure our policyholders minimise their risks and, more importantly, stay safe. Forklift truck accidents can result in life changing injuries for employees and have a lasting impact on their families. Our partnership with VUE on forklift truck safety fits our ethos perfectly and we are encouraged that our pilot has already shown the impact proper monitoring can have on behaviour and on the number of accidents.”

Glen Mullins, Group CEO, VUE, added: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with AXA on this project. Having worked closely with the AXA Risk Team for many years it is great to be able to take our learnings from the application of VUEmatics technology to vehicle fleets and implement them in the forklift truck environment. Together I am sure we can reduce the number of unnecessary workplace accidents.”