I work in a builders' merchant and so need to drive fork-lifts and a reach truck. Our yard is split in two, builders side and plumbers side. 80% of traffic comes through our yard to follow a one-way system. The hazards are many and there are near accidents and things customers do which can piss me off!
For example;
1. Delivery drivers come racing into our yard at a bazillion mph.They are concerned with only one thing - getting home!
Due consideration to other people and vehicles is lost.
They risk inches at speed against safety.
A fork-lift reverses slowly from one of the sheds...
2. Builders park vehicles in the yard at will (it is difficult as the yard is long and narrow).Fork-lifts are blocked in, work comes to a halt.
Assembled deliveries are blocked in by parked vans / lorries.
Our lorries can't get loaded to deliver their loads.
Other builders can't get their goods loaded as we can't access their vans.
3. Customers drive into the yard, past the staff then do u-turns - they can't find what they want!We are employed to help them.
They are driving the wrong way.
There is an articulated lorry driving into the yard.
They now have to do another u-turn.
The yard is busy and chaos occurs!
4. Articulated lorries require access on both sides to unload.The yard is busy so access is limited.
People drive close to or past a fork-lift taking large / heavy loads from lorries, without any warning
5. Vehicles speed around blind corners at the end of the building.Fork-lifts carrying Tonne bags of aggregate / sand etc. need speed / momentum to negotiate the ramp from the bottom yard into the top yard.
The forks are raised and a vehicle speeding around the corner towards the fork-lift.
Sharp braking causes the straps on the bulk bags to snap.
A tonne of sand spills onto the ramp.
Time is lost and nothing is achieved but an accident!
6. Endless obstructions, materials, rubbish etc.
7. Somebody has left a fork-lift with the engine running and empty forks raised!
A day in the life of a fork-lift driver...
Our builders yard is on the right-hand side of the picture, follow it to the end of the building and down the ramp into the plumbers yard around the next left turn.