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The Alltech Group provides solutions tailored to your business needs that: Reinforces security, Improves productivity, Reduce operating costs.

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: 13 February 2017

OKO tire sealant - Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to your questions:

Q1. How long has OKO Group manufactured an OKO Tire sealant?

A: OKO has been manufactured for over 31 years.

Q2. Can OKO Puncture Free be installed in any tire?

A: Yes, OKO can be applied to any Pneumatic tire.

Q3. Is OKO Puncture Free safe and legal to install in my tires?

A: Yes, it is both safe and legal.

Q4. Does OKO Puncture Free affect the tire life or the performance?

A: Performance, No. OKO does not affect tire structures or rubber. In some cases it is possible the tire life will be extended as OKO may cool the tire. OKO will eliminate the possibility of a tire life being shortened due to “Runfl at” damage.

Q5. Will OKO Puncture Free corrode the wheels, rust wheel rims or steel belts?

No. There are special corrosion inhibitors in the OKO formulation that inhibit corrosion in steel & alloy rims. They will prevent the product from causing oxidation in brass valve stems. If any residue of OKO is touching the inner rim, it can be washed off when a tire is changed. It is advisable NOT to use a tire sealant with chrome wheels as they are susceptible to chemical effects.

OKO uses inhibitors unique to the tire sealant industry. These inhibitors within the OKO mix are entirely friendly to the environment.

Q6. To what extent is the OKO On Road Puncture Free suitable for higher speeds?

OKO On Road Puncture Free has been tested at various speeds in a variety of vehicles, including Trucks, Motorcycles and Cars.

OKO has been tested on Race Tracks in Motorcycles at high speeds.

OKO On Road is recommended for use on the highway but users should maintain a speed within the legal limits.

Q7. When the OKO Puncture Free liquid is inside the tire, does it react with the air inside the tire and go hard?

No. OKO remains liquid inside the tire. It will seal a hole under pressure and then dry instantly, but it will not react with the air inside the tire and turn hard.

Q8. Is OKO Puncture Free harmful? Does it contain any harmful ingredients?

A: The OKO Group uses its best endeavors to formulate products which are as environmentally friendly and as safe to use, store and dispose of as possible. All OKO formulations are audited by “Chemtox” (www.chemtox- Trotters.com).

No OKO product is classifi ed as harmful, fl ammable or combustible. All are regarded as non-hazardous.

Q9. What type of damage can OKO Puncture Free seal and repair?

A: OKO will seal holes caused by nails, screws, glass, stones and sharp objects.

Q10. How strong is the OKO seal that blocks the holes and punctures?

A: The OKO Group regard the seal to be a permanent seal due to its strength. When subjected to a “strength test” at the Gerotek Test Facility, OKO was compared to a “Repair plug” and a “vulcanised repair”. In this case, it was shown that the OKO permanent seal was 1.62 times stronger than a vulcanised repair and 7 times stronger than a “repair plug”. (The tire industry state that a “Traditional repair” defi ned as a vulcanised repair” is permanent. Therefore, the seal made by OKO Puncture Free ON Road & OFF Road, that is so much stronger, should be regarded by users and consumers as “more permanent still”).

Q11. Can a number of punctures weaken the Tire structures?

A: Tire structures are likely to be weakened by side-wall and “Run fl at” damage.

OKO will eliminate much if not all of the risks associated with “Run Flat damage”. OKO is not designed to seal side wall holes that weaken the structure.

Q12. What should a driver do if a tire is inspected and a nail is seen in the tread area of the tire?

A: According to UK Forensic studies, a nail can penetrate a tire and on average will remain there for between 60 and 180 miles (96 to 290 kms). The nail is likely to eject itself after this period. If OKO is inside the tire, and the vehicle is motionless, and the nail is noticed to be in the tread area:

i. The driver should pull the nail; AND,

ii. Drive immediately;

This will cause OKO to make a new seal. If the nail is unnoticed and ejects itself from the tire as the vehicle is in motion, OKO will make a new seal.

Q13. How many holes will OKO Puncture Free seal using one application?

A: OKO is designed to seal many holes. OKO is the true “Multi-sealing” tire sealant. A small amount of OKO is used to seal a single hole in the tire casing. OKO effi cacy was proven at Aldershot with The British Army. There, OKO blocked and sealed 30 holes in ONE tire. This was a Land Rover tire and the vehicle remained in operation for months afterwards on manoeuvres. (OKO Military Test video available).

OKO Concentrate for Bikes seals many holes in Bicycle tires and can keep a tire puncture free for years. OFF Road OKO was tested on one of the worst construction sites in the UK. It reduced punctures by 95%.

Q14. To what pressure does OKO Puncture Free seal?

A: OKO has sealed a Quad tire at 2.5 PSI (0.15 bar). It has sealed a Truck tire at 145 p.s.i. (10.0 bar). There is little practical limit on the high side.

Q15. How often does OKO Puncture Free need to be replaced inside a tire?

A: Not at all. OKO is designed to last the legal life of a tire.

Q16. Does OKO Puncture Free degrade, dry out or separate?

A: No. OKO remains in suspension. It remains ready to stop punctures, always.

Q17. Up to what size puncture will OKO Puncture Free seal?

A: The OKO seal size varies with the type and grade of OKO used. OKO ON Road RTG seals holes caused by puncturing objects with a diameter of 8mm in On Road Trucks. OKO Concentrate for Bikes will seal up to 3.5mm. On Road OKO for motorcycles will seal up to 5mm and On road OKO LCV (for Autos, Commercial Vans) seals up to 7mm.

Enduro & Motocross OKO is designed any hole from 7mm to 10mm and can cope with the threat of “snake bites”.

OFF Road OKO seals up to 10 mm. Off Road OKO is heavy duty and has sealed holes in operational vehicles in North African mines with holes of 18mm.

Q18. Does OKO cause problems if it is necessary to make a vulcanised repair?

A: This is likely to be an extremely rare event. Due to the strength of the OKO seal, in normal conditions, it is unlikely that a conventional vulcanised repair is required. If necessary, OKO can be removed from the inside of the tire by washing it out. The best method is by using a hose. The tire can be dried. Then, a vulcanised repair can be applied, if necessary.

Q19. What happens to the OKO sealant in a tire when a vehicle is garaged and idle for a week or two? Does it need to be driven again at reduced speeds?

A: Generally, once the OKO has coated the inner tire, the majority of the OKO will remain as a coating. If the “On Road vehicle” has been idle for a long period some minor wheel vibration may be detected when fi rst starting off. This will disappear rapidly if the vehicle is driven steadily. This question is NOT relevant to the use of OFF Road OKO; OKO Concentrate for Bikes; ON Road RTG OKO for Heavy Trucks or Buses over 5 tonnes.

Q20. Does OKO Puncture Free cause wheel imbalance?

A: OKO Puncture Free will not cause wheel imbalance if the product is dosed correctly. Any temptation to apply more than the recommended dose must be strictly resisted.

When applying ON Road OKO to a Motorcycle or Car, the instructions should be strictly adhered to. Only the recommended quantity should be inserted. Having applied the OKO, these vehicles should be driven carefully and slowly for a distance of 10 to 16 km. - (approx. 6 to 10 miles). In the case of OKO RTG (for heavy trucks), the recommended distance is 3 to 5 km. (2 to 3 miles).

During this initial “run in” distance, OKO will line the inner tread area of the tire. Once this inner coat has been formed, there should be no wheel imbalance. Any minor quantity acting as a reservoir by swirling around the tire is not suffi cient to cause wheel vibration. It is recommended that wheels of vehicles of 5 tonnes or lower are balanced prior to fi tting OKO.

In some cases, where initial wheel vibration is experienced at certain speeds, the vehicle must be driven slowly until vibration disappears.

OKO OFF Road should NOT be fi tted to fast moving ON road vehicles or driven at a speed exceeding 80 kph (50 mph).

Q21. Within what range of temperatures does OKO Puncture Free operate?

A. From – 45 degrees C. to above + 45 degrees C. Both OKO OFF Road Puncture Free and ON Road OKO have been used in vehicles in hot Desert conditions and in the Antarctica.

OKO Puncture Free RTG was tested in fast moving truck tires over a 500 mile course starting at 6,000 feet above sea level and driving down to sea level. The trucks repeated the journey until at least 110,000 Km (68,750 miles) had been driven. Punctures suffered early during this test remained sealed throughout. The holes remained blocked by the permanent OKO seal. After 110,000 km, the product remained effective, sealing further punctures. OKO Puncture Free RTG remained inside the tire in liquid form, positioned as designed, effectively coating and protecting the inner tread area of the tires.

During this test, it is probable that the Truck tire temperatures exceeded 45ºC. It is likely that the inclusion of a special ingredient within the formulation kept the tires cooler than normal.

Q22. What are “ballasted” pneumatic tires?

A. Tires fi lled with water. Some rear Tractor tires are ballasted by farmers to weigh weigh down the vehicle. Or some pack rear tires with weights or sand.

Ballasting the tire with a higher quantity of OKO would be preferable to using water or sand. At least the puncture problem would be eliminated too. (OKO cannot function inside a tire that has been fi lled with water).

Q23. Will the OKO Puncture Free stain my clothes?

A. If OKO splashes onto the clothes, it should be wiped off immediately, and preferably with a wet cloth. If some OKO residue remains, wash the clothing that evening or during the same day. Avoid leaving the clothes for a long time with the OKO in a dry state. Importantly, contact with clothing should be avoided.

Q24. Will OKO Puncture Free swill inside the tire and affect the valve stem causing a misreading of the tire air pressure?

A. No. When applying the OKO product, some residue may remain inside the valve stem. This residue should be cleared by using an air-line as per the instructions. OKO Tire sealant coats the inside of the tire. It will not travel back up the valve stem.

Normally, conditions inside the tire mean that no air is forced back through the valve stem out to the outside environment.

Q25. Why does the OKO product NOT block and seal a valve stem as if it were a hole when the tire is defl ated?

A. When a tire is defl ated on purpose for any reason (by an individual), it is virtually guaranteed that the vehicle is standing still. When the tire is motionless the OKO remains in place, coating the inside tread area of the tire.

It does not travel towards the valve stem. Insuffi cient air pressure and the lack of movement is enough to ensure the OKO remains in its correct place.

Q26. Are there any special requirements to be considered in terms of health & safety?

A. Not especially, but common sense needs to be used. Avoid contact with the eyes; avoid prolonged skin contact with the sticky viscous layer inside the tire; and, do not drink the product. OKO Puncture Free can be removed from the skin with soaps and industrial hand cleaners. If OKO gets in the eyes, wash with copious amounts of clean water

Q27. Is the amount of OKO Puncture Free applied to any particular tire size critical?

A. Yes. The amounts to be applied for any given tire size are shown on the labels and comprehensive application charts printed by The OKO Group.

Q28. Can OKO Puncture Free be used in tires with inner tubes as well as tubeless tires?

A. Yes. OKO Puncture Free will seal holes in the outer casing and in the inner tubes as well. In certain situations, there are reservations.

It should always be asked, “why use an inner tube if applying OKO Puncture Free?”.

Inner tubes are problematical. Inner tubes are unreliable and the wall thickness is inconsistent. The quality of inner tubes internationally is poor. The inner tube can move inside the tire. Inner tubes tend to rip when a puncturing object remains.

Essentially, OKO Puncture Free will function and seal holes without or with inner tubes, but the best combination for most OFF & ON Road users is to use a Tubeless tire with OKO Puncture Free applied. This is the less expensive option and better performing option for puncture free driving.

One major reservation: If ON Road OKO Puncture Free RTG is to be applied to the tires of a Heavy truck, then apply to tubeless tires only.

Q29. From a consumer point of view, why are there so many different types of OKO? Should care be exercised when choosing which grade?

A. The OKO Group makes several different formulations. These are designed and engineered especially for certain vehicle types.

Amongst these different formulations are:- OKO Concentrate for Bikes. An OFF Road OKO Puncture Free. An On Road OKO Puncture Free RTG – for Heavy Trucks & Buses. An ON Road OKO Puncture Free LCV – for vehicles less than 5 tonnes.

Furthermore, there are FOUR different Motorcycle OKO grades produced especially for specifi c machines and uses. These are - An On Road OKO - On Road fast motorcycles; An On Road OKO - Mopeds & scooters; A Special OKO - Quads & ATVs; Heavy-Duty Competition OKO - Enduro & Motocross

Any user of OKO will be able to choose the relevant grade of OKO Puncture Free by examining the clear description of the product type that is marked upon the labels of the different size bottles and drums.

A. No. Tires with OKO can be disposed of via conventional recycling. OKO Group can recommend methods required if there is a signifi cant amount of OKO to disperse.

Q31. Are there any special maintenance requirements for tires fi tted with OKO?

A. No. As with any other tires, drivers should check their tires regularly for cuts, penetration damage, and a loss of air pressure. Checks should be made at least once per week, whether it is an OFF Road tire or any type of ON Road tire.

Q32. Are OKO Puncture Free fi tted tires likely to replace “run fl at” tires?

A. Unlikely. The widest choice should be available to consumers. As long as truthful and full knowledge is freely available, the consumer can make a proper choice.

“Run Flat” tires are supplied by Tire Manufacturers and may be considered useful for specifi c users who are willing to pay more for that particular tire knowing it may only function correctly once.

OKO Puncture Free claims to provide a permanent seal product that has a capability of sealing many holes on different occasions.

Q33. Will using OKO Puncture Free prevent the retreading of the tires?

A. No. OKO Puncture Free is compatible with retreading methods, cold and hot cures. OKO does not have adverse effects on tire casings or metal tire cords. It is recommended that tire casings are cleaned and dried prior to collection by the “Retreading companies” or before delivery to them. OKO Puncture Free is retread friendly, easy to clean with water and does not mask the punctures and holes sealed. It should be simple for “NDT” machines to fi nd all the punctures sealed by OKO.

OKO Puncture Free has been formulated to be compatible with compounds used within a tire.

The R & D of OKO has been carried out in collaboration with “Rubber Consultants”, a leading Tire & Rubber Research Institution (formerly M.R.P.R.A., a research institution owned jointly by The Malaysian & British Governments). OKO Puncture Free does not pose any hazards or fl ammability issues for the Retreading companies either.

Q34. Does OKO Puncture Free extend the effective tire life by assisting the correct maintenance of air pressures?

By using OKO Puncture Free, it is possible to combat porosity which is a natural process of air migration through the tire casing. By eliminating the possibility of driving on under – infl ated tires, it is likely that tires will remain in effective service for longer periods.

OKO Puncture Free will also tend to retard dry rot and casing degradation. This helps lengthen the life of the tubeless tire casing.

Q35. Does the use of OKO Puncture Free Tire Sealant make a Tire warranty void?

A. There is no legal reason under EU or USA law that should allow a Tire manufacturer to say that their warranties are void due to the use of OKO Puncture Free Tire Sealant, whether OFF Road or On Road OKO.

Since the inception of OKO Puncture Free, there has been no report that OKO has caused a new tire warranty rejection or a retread casing rejection. The composition of OKO Puncture Free is harmless to tires and rubber and is compatible with rubber tire components.

It is possible that on rare occasions a retail tire distributor may take a negative stance against OKO.

This is likely to be due to a historic and cultural tradition of being “anti-OKO” or ignorance of the modern technological information provided by The OKO Group.

Explore the full range of product OKO:

Off-road

Off-road tire sealant

Designed to seal punctures up to 10mm in diameter (it can often achieve more depending on tire size, use and conditions). For most applications, replaces the need for solid fill: much cheaper, lighter and does not worsen the ride.

Mining

Mining tire sealant

On-road

RTG tire sealant

OKO RTG provides a permanent seal with negligible loss of air pressure. It is a speed-rated puncture protection treatment that can seal multiple punctures as you drive, thus allowing commercial tires to remain operational for longer. It is water-based and rinses out harmlessly, allowing remoulding to take place.

Motos / Quads

Motos - Quads - X-Treme

The OKO motorbike and quad bike tire sealant range is suitable for use in most tire types – tubed, tubeless, road, off-road etc., and for all conditions.

Bicycle

Standard - X-Treme - Magic Milk

OKO Puncture Free (all-purpose) and OKO X-Treme (for off-road use) are now lighter and smoother than ever, and represent an advance in puncture sealing performance compared to any competitor. They are both perfect for tubes and for full UST tubeless conversions. They last the life of the tire.

: 11 January 2017

5 Key elements to a good lubrication program

Did you know? On average, the purchasing of lubricants represents a minimal part of your maintenance expenses. As a matter of fact, the activities linked to lubrication could possibly represent almost half of your maintenance expenses. It is therefore essential to have a good lubrication program.

Stop blindly lubricating your machine,

you can cause more damage than good to your equipment.

In order to obtain an optimal reliability and maximum benefits from a lubrication program, you need to take into account the fundamentals of lubrication for the equipment, The Basis is simple; It suffices to lubricate :

The right point;
With the right lubricant;
With the right quantity;
At the right time;
With the right method!

1. The RIGHT lubrication point

During the evaluation of a lubrication program, the first step consists of identifying all the lubrication parts of your equipment. Each equipment has their own distinct lubrication chart recommended by the dealership or the maker. They are normally easily obtained by the dealership or maker.

Following the chart, it is impossible to forget a greasing point. This will allow you to identify the different characteristics of each point, The RIGHT lubricant with the RIGHT quantity at the RIGHT time!

2. The RIGHT lubricant

After identifying all the lubrication points, it is important to verify your choice of lubricant. Over 80% of equipment are lubricated with grease. Most companies use an all-purpose grease for their equipment. In certain cases this is acceptable, this application can incur waste of grease and can harm the productivity.

Most applications often require specialized grease in order to optimize their performance. Machines that are exposed to elevated temperatures or elevated pressures normally require special formulated greases in order to meet operational requirements. Specialized grease can often lengthen the intervals of lubrication and considerably reduce the consumption of grease.

Mixing certain greases could create a chemical reaction that can damage your equipment. It is therefore important to follow the makers’ recommendations

3. The RIGHT time

According to lubrication studies, the best practice is to lubricate frequently in small quantities, better then less often using a large quantity of lubricant. This practice can translate in an optimal performance of the machine.

The detailed lubrication chart of the equipment permits to easily identify the respectable greasing intervals.

4. The RIGHT quantity

The right quantity of lubricant distributed to each point plays a major role. To under lubricate or to over lubricate can have a negative effect and must be avoided.

Over lubricating leads to excessive pressure on the bearings. Over lubricating increases your expenses linked to an enormous waste of grease. On average, each dollar of lubricant purchased, the shop spends three dollars of expenses on lubricant waste. A good lubrication program permits to follow and control lubrication consumption and eliminate costs.

On the other hand, a prolonged deficiency of lubricant (under lubrication) can cause extreme wear of non-lubricated surfaces, thus causing a failure to the machine along with elevated repair costs.

A regular lubrication with the right quantity permits to maintain a film of grease on each point. This prevents contamination of your surfaces by sealing the interstice around each of them. This collar keeps out dust, sand, water and other contaminants. It also prevents impurities to create abrasive surfaces along with premature wear.

5. The RIGHT method

After determining the right method, there is a need to ask questions on several points:

The global costs of production and maintenance.
The environmental impact
The health and safety of staff
The level of maturity of the maintenance program (corrective, preventative, predictive, etc.)

Maintenance costs are directly linked to lubrication activities.

Besides the cost of lubricants, you will need to include the labor for the maintenance along with the hours of repairs for the defective part due to lack of lubrication.

Lubricating manually or automatic?

This is the question that should be asked. Often the best solution for a large fleet is combination of both based on the type of application, the location of the equipment and the resources available.

Lubricating manually is often used when greasing is required at lengthier intervals.

The technology of automatic lubrication, such as the unitary lubrication, Find to be used in places that are difficult to reach, dangerous areas, or areas that are impossible to lubricate manually.

With respect to automatic lubrication, it can be used on a variety of application. The most critical assets is equipment that requires more lubrication during a daily bases which makes them a primary target.

Conclusion

Finally it is important to know that a lack of grease, heavy loads, dust and water prematurely wears the moving parts. A good lubrication program whether be the choice (manually or automatic) will permit you to maximize the performance of your equipment and your staff.

: 19 December 2016

Effective preventative puncture sealants

For HGV fleet owners and the commercial tire specialists that supply them, an effective truck puncture prevention and tire life extension system has become essential. No-one can afford to miss a just-in-time delivery: downtime prevents successful operation.

Likewise, bus and coach operators know just how disruptive and expensive it is to have a vehicle stopped with a puncture. Recovery is time-consuming and ruins the whole day’s schedule.

OKO RTG tire sealant for Heavy Goods Vehicles is the solution

It is specially designed to prevent punctures and lengthen the life of faster-moving tires with the greater heat that builds up inside them.

OKO RTG provides a permanent seal with negligible loss of air pressure. It is a speed-rated puncture protection treatment that can seal multiple punctures as you drive, thus allowing commercial tires to remain operational for longer. It is water-based and rinses out harmlessly, allowing remoulding to take place.

Easy to apply from its 25 litre drum and pump, OKO does not adversely affect handling or ride characteristics and by helping to avert slow punctures when running it tends to keep tires at their correct pressure, thus maximising fuel economy.

Protect your vehicles, your drivers and your passengers: fit OKO RTG.

Application Fields:

Bulk hauliers
Logistics companies
Fleet Managers
Bus & Coach garages
Tire management companies
Tire accessories wholesalers

Equipments

Heavy Trucks
Lorries, Tankers and Freight Vehicles
Trailers / Semi-Trailers
Buses
Coaches
Refuse & Skip Haulage Trucks
on-road vehicles over 5 tonnes

For more information about OKO RTG:

: 03 January 2017

Backup camera for heavy equipment

A camera decreases the blind spots for the operator thus reducing the risk of serious accidents.

Many operators have confirmed that when backing up a loader in a quarry or a crushing site that they are unable to see behind them even with a rear-view mirror. Une caméra de recul permet non seulement de reculer de façon sécuritaire, mais également d’être en contrôle de son environnement en tout temps.

Accidents caused by blind spots represent major unforeseen expenses to your company. A camera system would dramatically reduce these expenses. Mining trucks backing up in a dynamite zone can now avoid sharp rocks which damage their tires, thus saving thousands of dollars for tire replacements.

Maximize your vision and security on the work site by installing an industrial camera:

Why choose the Blaxtairview camera?

Although many systems are available on the market; Note that most of them are designed for general use under specific conditions. Blaxtairview technology definitely distinguishes us from other products designed for automobiles or recreational vehicles. The Blaxtairview camera is designed specifically for heavy equipment;

Robuste and reliable, the cameras are suitable for the harshest environment. IP 69K, they resist to high pressured water washing and to temperatures from -40 to +70°C. The camera and connectors are completely waterproof. The camera chassis is made of anodized stainless steel.
BLAXTAIRview® cameras offer a high definition color image (640 x 480) for superior image quality.
Thanks to their IR-CUT technology , the cameras operate in the dark. It automatically switches to infrared when the brightness is too low.
With a 130 ° field of view , the Blaxtairview camera offers optimal visibility of the hidden areas of your vehicle.

Attention, the security cameras are tools to help the trucker be more vigilant. . The obligation to install cameras may not prevent all accidents but can certainly help to prevent many.

Maximize your vision and security on the work site by installing an industrial camera:

Backup camera

BLAXTAIRview® is a premium camera system improving safety around industrial vehicles. It supplies a precise vision of the environment to the driver. Robust and reliable, BLAXTAIRview® wide field of view cameras give a high resolution color image. They provide a good situational awareness even in very low illumination environment by switching automatically to infrared when necessary.

Pedestrian detection for industrial vehicle

Blaxtair® is an intelligent on-board camera which helps to prevent collisions between construction machinery and pedestrians. Combined with good practice and organizational safety measures, it is the only efficient and reliable answer to meet the safety demands of the construction, road work and mining sectors.

: 02 December 2016

Accidents between forklifts and pedestrians

Forklifts are powerful material handling machines that are used in many different work areas. They are the root of many accidents and even deaths. Forklifts have many characteristics that the pedestrians along with the driver of the forklift do not know which would explain the number of accidents.

Characteristics of a forklift

Strength and weight:

The compact shape of a forklift is difficult to assume that it is heavy. In fact the weight of a forklift is actually the equivalent of six cars. Being in front of this powerful equipment in movement and even at low speed a pedestrian does not stand a chance to pull out during a collision.

Rear wheel direction:

This feature ensures that the rear of the forklift moves in the opposite direction when cornering. It is very important that the pedestrians keep a secure distance from the forklift and to never have their feet close to the wheels.

Reduced vision:

Due to the configuration of the forklift there are more blind spots for the driver which is quite alarming. The load, the mast, and the structure of the forklift are many of the visual obstacles to the driver. This reduced visibility disables the detection of pedestrians and is difficult to prevent dangerous situations and diminishes the chances of emergency braking.

Considerable braking distance:

The braking distance of a forklift varies on the speed, the load and the driving surface. We have a tendency to go faster when the forklift is empty

At 6 km/h (Walking speed), A forklift requires at least 3 meters in order to stop.
At 12 km/h, a forklift with still move 7 to 8 meters before actually stopping.

Human error is not to be dismissed

It is sure that the forklift has particular features, even when the driver has perfect control over his environment, we cannot forget human error.

Many scenarios can explain poor pedestrian detection on behalf of the driver

The driver omits to look in the direction of the movement of the forklift.
The driver circulates in reverse and yet does not spot check the surroundings
The task enables the attention and concentration of the driver(limiting all possibilities of detection)
The driver has an obstructed view; by the structure of the forklift, the load being transported, the structure of the building, the layout of the merchandise on the floor and by the circulation of other vehicles (either parked or moving).
The driver is unable to detect pedestrians due to poor lighting or glare.
The driver does not use the vision tools which are provided (mirrors , signals, presence detectors)

How to avoid or at least limit accidents which implicates pedestrians?

Separating the forklift zone from the pedestrian zone by making separate aisles one for pedestrians and one for forklifts.
Denying access in the forklift zone.
In any possible mesure, pedestrians must keep a secure distance from the forklift. It is important to make visual contact with the forklift driver thus assuring the driver is aware of your presence in the work zone.
Assure that the work zone is well lit and there are no obstacles that may reduce the driver’s visibility.
Exercise caution around and near blind spots, near entrances and narrow aisles. The driver must apply the horn of the forklift when approaching crossroads.
Wear visible clothing where it’s required.
Set speed limits for forklifts.
Do not walk near forklifts which the forks are lifted neither walk underneath the forks.
Take caution not to obstruct the vision of the forklift driver who is transporting a load.
Avoid operating a forklift where there is an elevated pedestrian zone.

Limit areas of restricted vision

To prevent collisions, a pedestrian detection is necessary. Many types of cameras are recommended in this situation. Simple cameras, radars, ultrasounds or morphological recognition etc. Fo exemple, a pedestrian detection system using a morphological recognition system.

Blue : Field of vision (control screen)

Orange : Danger zone (As soon as a pedestrian enters this area, the driver is warned by an alarm)

Attention, these security systems are tools to assist the vigilance of the driver. The simple fact of installing a system would not eliminate all accidents but would certainly help to diminish some of them. Whatever position we are whether a driver or pedestrian being vigilant is important.