Many of the forklift incidents we see in and around Springfield aren’t dramatic on day one. They start with everyday operational pressures:
- Tight traffic lanes and shared pathways on docks and in distribution areas
- Early morning or shift-change congestion, when pedestrian flow increases
- Deliveries and staging that force forklifts to move near employees carrying carts, totes, or materials
- Wet or uneven surfaces from outdoor loading, weather tracking, or patchwork flooring
- Temporary layouts during inventory changes or maintenance work
Even when everyone “did their best,” a workplace can still be unsafe—especially when routing, visibility, equipment condition, and training don’t line up with real conditions on the floor.


