In an effort to increase awareness of the importance of forklift safety, Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc. (TMHU), the nation’s leading forklift supplier, announced its proud support of the inaugural National Forklift Safety Day. Sponsored by the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), National Forklift Safety Day serves as a focal point for manufacturers to highlight the safe use of forklifts and the importance of operator training.  It also provides an opportunity for the industry to educate customers, policymakers and the administration on forklift operating safety practices. Toyota executives will participate in discussions taking place June 10, 2014 at the Hyatt Capitol Hill located at 400 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, D.C.

“At Toyota, we are committed to improving forklift safety by developing innovative lift truck safety features like Toyota’s System of Active StabilityTM, which reduces the likelihood of forklift turnovers,” said Jeff Rufener, president of TMHU. “We are proud to participate in National Forklift Safety Day and applaud the work of the ITA to raise awareness of the importance of forklift safety, maintenance and operator training.”
Powered industrial trucks, or forklifts, originated in the United States in 1917. Since then, annual sales have grown to nearly 190,000 in the U.S. alone. Forklifts are used to move and lift materials and offer load capacities from a few thousand pounds up to 180,000 lbs.    

Operator safety training is a key element in forklift safety as:

· 70 percent of all industrial accidents are operator induced (National Safety Council)

· Effective training may reduce accident rate by 25 to 30 percent (OSHA)

· After training lift truck operators, OSHA found a 61 percent improvement in operator performance scores.

National Forklift Safety Day will continue on the second Tuesday of June each year. This timing coincides with the National Safety Council’s designation of June as National Safety Month. For the latest information on forklift safety, please visit OSHA’s website.

About the Industrial Truck Association (ITA)

The ITA is the national trade association representing manufacturers of powered industrial trucks, commonly referred to as lift trucks, and manufacturers of components and attachments for such trucks. The United States powered industrial truck (PIT) industry is a critical element to keeping Americas just in time inventory moving. As part of the U.S. manufacturing industry, PIT companies create and sustain thousands of U.S. jobs and contribute significantly to the US economy.

About Toyota Material Handling, U.S.A., Inc.

Celebrating more than 45 years in business in North America, TMHU is the supplier of Toyota lift trucks, the No. 1 selling brand since 2002. In addition to a full line of high-quality lift trucks, the company’s extended industrial equipment solutions include Automated Guided Vehicles and scissor lifts.

For the fourth consecutive year, TMHU ranked number one in safety, fewest safety-related incidents and most affordable to maintain in terms of safety in a study conducted by Peerless Research Group on Lift Truck Safety.*

Quality is the hallmark of the Toyota Production System practiced at all Toyota manufacturing facilities, including Toyota Industrial Equipment Mfg., Inc. (TIEM), a zero-landfill facility in Columbus, Ind. TIEM, named a North American Best Plant by IndustryWeek magazine, is a member of the National Safety Council, complies with the ISO 14001 standard from the International Organization for Standardization and has produced more than 450,000 Toyota lift trucks since its opening in 1990.

Toyota’s commitment to excellence in customer service extends throughout the U.S. and Canada. With more than 70 authorized Toyota Industrial Equipment dealers and more than 220 dealership locations throughout North America, Toyota dealers offer comprehensive customer service and support, including one stop shopping for both new and used lift trucks, rentals, parts and service, fleet servicing and financing.