Forklift Safety – MākuSafe Scout

Identify Hidden Risks & Protect Your Workforce

Forklift and powered industrial vehicle (PIV) incidents are a top safety concern in industrial environments. Traditional safety measures focus on training and awareness, but blind spots, congestion, and unpredictable worker movements continue to pose serious risks. MākuSafe Scout™ takes forklift safety to the next level, using real-time data to help organizations identify risk patterns, improve visibility, and make informed safety decisions before incidents occur.

(Note: Concentric rings in the video are for effect only, wearable proximity “halo” radius is configurable but there is no floor projection or visible ring.)

You are right to be concerned…

In the U.S., forklift-related accidents and injuries between forklifts and pedestrians are a significant safety concern. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other safety sources:

  1. Accident rates: Each year, around 85 to 100 fatal accidents involve forklifts, and 34,900 serious injuries occur, with a significant portion of these involving pedestrians.
  2. Pedestrian injuries: It’s estimated that 20% of all forklift accidents involve a pedestrian, translating to roughly 7,000 injuries annually. These can result from workers being struck, crushed, or caught in forklift operations.
  3. Non-fatal injury average cost: Around $42,000 per incident (according to the National Safety Council 2023 data).
    This includes direct costs like medical treatment and indirect costs like lost productivity.
  4. Severe injury or permanent disability: Can range from $100,000 to over $200,000 depending on the extent of the injury and long-term implications (e.g., amputations, spinal injuries).
  5. Fatal injury: The total cost can exceed $1.3 million when accounting for legal fees, OSHA penalties, settlements, lost productivity, and reputational damage.

MākuSafe Scout™ helps you avoid adding to the statistics.

“MākuSafe has delivered a very practical, easy, and useful solution in Scout. It has helped us reduce forklift-pedestrian interactions by more than 70%, without sacrificing productivity of drivers or workers on foot. We have been able to use actionable insights delivered by Scout to re-engineer work processes and eliminate risk!” – Regional Logistics EHS Manager

How MākuSafe Scout™ Works

MākuSafe Scout™ pairs with the MākuSafe Ally™ wearable armband, worn by workers, to track and analyze real-time interactions between forklifts and pedestrians. Hardware installed in forklifts detects worker presence and displays low, moderate, and high-density indicators to operators, helping them navigate safely. More than just an alert system, Scout collects valuable data on worker-PIT interactions to help safety leaders proactively make evidence-based improvements.

Data-Driven Safety Insights for Proactive Decision-Making

With Scout, safety managers gain unprecedented visibility into forklift risks, answering critical questions like:
✔ Where do the highest-risk interactions occur in our facility?
✔ What times of day or shifts pose the most risk?
✔ Which operators experience the most pedestrian interactions?
✔ Where could layout changes or safety interventions reduce hazards?

Armed with this real-time, actionable data, organizations can optimize workflows, reduce congestion, and proactively address safety concerns before they lead to injuries or near misses.

A Smarter Alternative to Collision Avoidance Systems

Unlike traditional PIT safety solutions that rely on alarms or forced stopping—both of which can create new hazards—MākuSafe Scout™ focuses on data-driven awareness. Instead of startling operators or causing sudden stops, Scout provides continuous visibility into worker density, allowing for safer, human-centered decision-making that aligns with operational needs. Adjustable detection sensitivity ensures that organizations can tailor Scout to their specific environments.

Take Control of Forklift Safety with MākuSafe Scout™

MākuSafe Scout™ is the next evolution in connected worker safety—combining real-time monitoring with long-term risk analysis to create safer, more efficient facilities.
✔ Increase awareness & reduce risk without disrupting operations.
✔ Leverage real-time data to make proactive, evidence-based safety decisions.
✔ Protect workers & optimize safety programs with continuous monitoring and insights.

See also – Top 10 Questions About Warehouse & Forklift Safety

Read our blog article entitled “Forklift Safety: A Smarter, More Practical Approach“.

Download the one page MākuSafe Scout flyer here.

Ready to see how MākuSafe Scout™ can transform forklift safety at your facility?

Let’s Talk