This year for National Forklift Safety Day the focus was on ‘A painted line isn’t enough’ - a reminder that safety goes beyond surface-level precautions.

As part of the campaign, a research roundtable hosted by the UK Material Handling Association (UKMHA), brought together industry experts to discuss the biggest safety challenges in the warehouse sector. Among the contributors was Elaine Greaves, our QHS Manager at Toyota Material Handling UK.

This is a conversation we are committed to continuing. Safety is always our priority - for both our employees and our customers.

In this blog, we’ll explore four crucial areas in warehouse safety:

• The true cost of safety challenges
• Shaping a stronger safety culture
• Technology’s role in improving safety
• Sharing responsibility for safer workplaces

1. The true cost of safety challenges

When it comes to cost, the first and most important is the human impact - the long-term consequences of physical injury that affect not only the person involved, but also their family, colleagues, and wider workplace. Alongside this is the business impact - from direct repair costs to downtime, legal fees, reputational damage, and the wider disruption to operations.

Safety systems play a huge role in eliminating these challenges by protecting people and operations. Ensuring your forklifts are equipped with sensors, cameras, lighting and other safety systems such as the unique System of Active Stability (SAS), risks are reduced, and collisions can be prevented before they occur. SAS is fitted as standard on all Toyota counterbalance forklift trucks.

Other things to consider:

• Reducing manual handling – using equipment that eases physical strain helps protect operators from injuries caused by heavy or repetitive handling. Choosing powered options such powered pallet trucks  and pedestrian tow tractors, or assisted handling equipment like the Toyota Pro Lifter support a safer, more ergonomic movement of goods.
• Enforcing safety training – accredited forklift training ensures your workforce are skilled, confident, and up to date, reducing the risk of accidents.
• Regular forklift service and maintenance - Flexible service packages and thorough examinations keep your equipment in safe working order, reducing breakdowns and help prevent accidents.
  

2. Shaping a stronger safety culture

A strong safety culture goes beyond compliance - it’s about creating a mindset where safety becomes part of everyday behaviour.

At Toyota Material Handling, this approach is deeply rooted in the Toyota Production System (TPS), the foundation of lean thinking. TPS focuses on continuous improvement (Kaizen) and respect for people, principles that naturally extend to safety. Every employee is encouraged to identify potential risks, suggest improvements, and take ownership of their environment. This ensures that safety is built into every process, not added as an afterthought.

Through TPS, we’ve learned that safety and productivity go hand in hand. A culture of continuous improvement not only strengthens safety but also empowers teams to work smarter, with greater awareness and confidence.

3. Technology’s role in improving safety

Technology continues to play a huge role in creating safer workplaces. By using data and smart systems, businesses can move from reacting to incidents to actively preventing them.

Utilising fleet management tools such as I_Site, improves safety by managing driver performance, controlling access, and monitoring vehicle impacts in real time - helping to prevent accidents, enforce compliance, and create a safer, more efficient working environment.

Implementing automated solutions is another way to reduce risks. By removing some of the most repetitive or high-risk tasks from manual operation, automated solutions help eliminate human error and ensure consistent performance, improving both safety and efficiency across warehouse operations.

4. Sharing responsibility for safer workplaces

Creating a safer workplace is only possible when everyone plays a role and takes responsibility.

The challenge is that unsafe habits often become normalised over time, whether its people walking too close to trucks or stepping into danger zones. That’s why it’s important to encourage everyone, at every level, to challenge unsafe behaviour.

When it comes to safety in the workplace, it is a shared responsibility, we know technology is only part of the picture. True safety comes from the combination of safety systems, effective training, and a culture where everyone plays their part.

To support this, we offer a range of free safety downloads you can use in your workplace to help raise awareness and promote safer practices.

Explore how our safety solutions can support your operation, and contact our experts here: Safety Solutions | Toyota Material Handling UK

 Download the UKMHA white paper here.