Forklift and Pedestrian Traffic Safety
Traffic rules that separate powered industrial trucks from people on foot, covering marked travel lanes, blind intersections, horn use, the eye contact rule, pedestrian right of way, and exclusion zones around operating trucks.
- Audience
- Certified forklift operators and all employees who walk in operating areas
- Review cycle
- annual
- Last reviewed
- 2026-08-14
- Revision
- 1
Forklift and Pedestrian Traffic Safety: what is in the procedure
8 sections. Regulatory language is fixed and passes through verbatim. Sections marked customized get rewritten around your facility, your equipment, and your job titles.
- 01
Purpose
FixedThis procedure establishes the traffic rules that keep people on foot separated from powered industrial trucks.
- 02
Scope
CustomizedThis procedure applies to every powered industrial truck movement anywhere on the property, including the warehouse floor, dock apron, staging areas, and yard, and to every employee, contractor, driver...
- 03
Responsibilities
CustomizedOperators travel only in designated truck routes, sound the horn at every blind corner and doorway, yield to pedestrians, and stop when a pedestrian enters the travel path.
- 04
Procedure: Rules for Truck Operators
Fixed1. Travel only in designated truck routes and keep to the right where lanes are shared.
- 05
Procedure: Rules for People on Foot
Fixed1. Stay in marked pedestrian walkways whenever one is available.
- 06
Procedure: Congested and Shared Areas
CustomizedWhere trucks and pedestrians cannot be fully separated, the following controls apply: work is sequenced so that trucks and people are not in the same aisle at the same time where practical...
- 07
Exception Handling: Near Misses and Rule Violations
CustomizedAny near miss between a truck and a pedestrian is reported the same shift it occurs, whether or not anyone was injured.
- 08
References
Fixed29 CFR 1910.178 Powered industrial trucks.
Regulatory references
Forklift and Pedestrian Traffic Safety: 29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)
Every SOP generated from this template cites the paragraphs below, with a plain-language summary of what each one requires. Citations are informational and are not legal advice.
All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces are kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition.
| Standard | Title | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| 29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1) | Powered industrial trucks: operator training | Under paragraph (l)(1)(i) the employer must ensure each operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, demonstrated by successful completion of the training and evaluation this paragraph requires, before the operator may operate a truck without direct supervision. Paragraph (l)(3)(ii)(D) requires that training cover pedestrian traffic in the areas where the vehicle will be operated. Paragraph (l)(4) requires refresher training and re-evaluation after an accident, a near miss, observed unsafe operation, or a change in workplace conditions. Paragraph (l)(6), not (l)(1), is the provision that requires the employer to certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated, recording the operator name, the training date, the evaluation date, and the identity of the person performing the training or evaluation. |
| 29 CFR 1910.22(a) | Walking-working surfaces: surface conditions | All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces must be kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition, and walking-working surfaces must be maintained free of hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, corrosion, leaks, spills, snow, and ice. |
Compliance checklist
Forklift and Pedestrian Traffic Safety: what an inspector looks for
Every operator is trained and evaluated on the pedestrian traffic conditions in the areas where they operate
29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)
Refresher training and re-evaluation follow any accident, near miss, or observed unsafe operation
29 CFR 1910.178(l)(4)
The employer certifies each operator's training and evaluation, recording the operator name, training date, evaluation date, and who performed them
29 CFR 1910.178(l)(6)
Aisles, walkways, and designated crossings are kept clean and orderly and free of hazards such as spills, debris, and protruding objects
29 CFR 1910.22(a)
Pedestrian walkways, truck routes, and crossings are marked and the markings are legible
Near misses between trucks and pedestrians are reported and reviewed
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This page is informational and is not legal advice. Have a qualified safety professional review any procedure before it goes into service at your facility.