National Forklift Safety Day: Yale Reliant operator assistance technology reaches 14 million hours of real-world run time

Yale Lift Truck Technologies announces a major milestone for its Yale Reliant operator assistance technology to mark the 11th edition of National Forklift Safety Day. Since its launch as a first-of-its-kind solution in 2021, Yale Reliant has since accumulated over 14 million run-time hours across over 6,000 commercially deployed lift truck units. The award-winning technology reinforces lift truck operating best practices and supports operator awareness to help reduce the risk of accidents and close calls like a pedestrian unexpectedly walking in front of a lift truck or an operator traveling too quickly around turns.

“Warehouses are pushed to the limit trying to keep up with productivity targets, but they can’t take their focus off safety, especially with a shrinking, transient labor pool that brings an influx of inexperienced lift truck operators,” says Brad Long, Brand Manager, Yale Lift Truck Technologies. “National Forklift Safety Day is an annual reminder of the everyday, year-round importance of operator training and best practices, and the proven track record of Yale Reliant is a testament to technology’s real-world value for warehouses as they seek tools to help protect their employees, inventory and bottom line.”

Yale Reliant automatically applies interventions in response to compromised stability, when obstacles are detected in the path of travel or in close proximity, and even based on rules customers specify for certain areas of their warehouse. Adjustments, such as a reduction to travel speed or a smoothing of fork lift or tilt movement, are carefully measured to avoid abrupt shifts or jerks that can upset stability. Yale Reliant keeps the operator in ultimate control of the lift truck, but the changes remain noticeable enough for operators to feel. The system also communicates the cause through a display screen, providing an additional layer of feedback to help reinforce proper operation established during training.

The growth of warehousing and distribution in the past decade has led to an increased focus on safety in the industry from the U.S. Department of Labor. In July 2023, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced a national emphasis program (NEP) to reduce and prevent workplace hazards in warehousing and distribution center operations, and powered industrial truck (PIT) operations are part of the program’s focus. To help warehouse managers understand how the NEP affects them and how to establish a safety culture, Yale offers on-demand events featuring input from state-level occupational safety and health leaders and in-house experts.