Teenager Killed By Forklift Truck 22/01/2008

A forklift truck fell and killed a teenage boy in Queens, New York in January 2008. The boy was illegally operating the forklift after allegedly entering the forklift truck company where his father worked via a hole in a damaged fence. The forklift truck toppled onto the teenage boy after he was allegedly operating the forklift, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. It has been alleged that the forklift truck company left the heavy duty forklift trucks with their keys in ignition, thus readily available for an untrained user entering the site illegally to operate the vehicle.


Because of the potential dangers which can be encountered when operating a forklift truck, there are numerous health and safety regulations in place, examples of which include having a clear view of the vehicle, enforced training and evaluation of operating forklift trucks for forklift drivers from the forklift company management, as well as hazard communication training to ensure forklift driving staff are aware of the hazards common to the use of forklift driving, as well as how to deal with and report these hazards. In relation to the death of the teenage boy, it could be suggested that a campaign warning against the potential and prominent dangers of young people having access to forklift trucks and other industrial vehicles would be beneficial.