Forklift supervisors and managers will have an easier job enforcing seatbelt use with the introduction of high visibility seatbelts from Hyster. An optional interlock system prevents the driver from operating the truck without the belt being worn.

Now available on both Hyster Electric and ICE counterbalance forklifts, the high-visibility red seatbelt is easily seen from a distance, which allows supervisors or managers to clearly see if their operators are wearing seatbelts properly.

“Forklift seatbelt compliance can be difficult to manage, particularly when drivers are getting on and off their trucks regularly throughout the working day,” said David Rowell product marketing manager at NACCO Materials Handling Group (NMHG). “The new red belts not only help supervisors see who is wearing seatbelts and address compliance issues with operators, but Hyster has also gone a stage further. Operations managers can select the optional interlock system, which makes wearing the seatbelt a mandatory requirement in order for the operator to start the engine.”

The new Hyster interlock belt system automatically disengages traction if the seatbelt is unfastened while driving. The truck will decelerate to a stop until all interlocks are satisfied again.

“The trucks will not start or operate unless the seat belt is fastened,” confirmed Rowell. “A warning light will appear on the dash display helping the operator to identify the cause of no traction.”

As with standard Hyster seat belts, the Emergency Locking Retractor (ELR) mechanism allows the belt to move freely with the operator’s movements for optimum comfort, especially for operators frequently driving in reverse. The ELR allows the seatbelt to automatically lock in the event of truck instability or impact, helping to keep the operator secure.

The high visibility seatbelt is available separately or together with an interlock system on the A, J and E Series of Hyster electric trucks and the H and S Series of ICE trucks.