In brief
The Regulation on Work Equipment requires traffic rules and speed limits to be set and enforced wherever forklifts are used, and unauthorised pedestrians to be kept out of the area. A good warehouse traffic plan separates pedestrians first in space, then in time, and manages the remaining crossing points with marking, mirrors, a stop rule and training. Vehicle routes are marked with yellow or white lines; the walkway colour is a company standard.
Why does forklift and pedestrian separation need a written plan?
At the morning shift change, fifteen people leave the canteen and walk to the production hall along a forklift route that crosses the end of a racking aisle. The forklift is carrying two pallets and the driver's forward view is blocked; there is no mirror at the aisle corner. This is a scene we often see in warehouses and production sites in Bursa and the surrounding provinces, and the answer is not a "be careful" warning but a traffic plan built on forklift and pedestrian separation.
The legislation calls for this plan from three sources:
- Under Annex II, item 2.2 of the Regulation on Health and Safety Requirements for the Use of Work Equipment, appropriate traffic rules and speed limits are set and enforced in areas where self-propelled work equipment is used. Item 2.3 requires arrangements that keep unauthorised employees out of the area and, where pedestrians must work there, measures to prevent them from being harmed. The same regulation requires aids to improve the driver's view where it is restricted, and that nobody approaches the blind spots of moving equipment.
- Under Annex I of the Regulation on Workplace Buildings and Premises, sufficient distance is left between vehicle routes and doors, walkways, corridors and stairs, and vehicle routes are clearly marked. Where a vehicle door is not safe for pedestrians, a separate pedestrian door is provided.
- Annex 5 of the Regulation on Health and Safety Signs sets out how traffic routes and dangerous locations are marked on the floor.
A warehouse traffic plan in six steps
A traffic plan consists of a layout sketch, a list of rules and training content. Prepare it in this order:
- Observe the current flow. Over a week, on different shifts, draw on a sketch where forklifts and pedestrians actually move. Mark separately the places pedestrians go: changing room, canteen, toilets, office, break area, car park gate. The gap between the plan and reality is usually found at these points.
- Take pedestrians out of the forklift area. Meet pedestrian needs outside the forklift route: a separate pedestrian door, a walking corridor around the building perimeter, moving offices and break areas out of the forklift zone. Wherever possible use physical barriers instead of paint.
- Reduce and design crossing points. Gather the remaining crossings at a small number of clearly visible, well-lit points. Place barriers on both sides of the pedestrian crossing to guide people to it, and paint a stop line on the forklift side.
- Write the rules. Put rules such as speed limits, right of way, a full stop at crossings, reversing, driving in reverse when the load blocks the view, and no parking in pedestrian areas on a single page.
- Identify blind corners and act on them. Define a mirror, warning light or stop point for rack ends, doorways, behind columns and ramp exits.
- Mark, train and monitor. Post the sketch at entry points, show it on site during induction training and carry out a monthly observation of rule breaches.
Pedestrian walkway lines and floor marking colours
In floor marking, you need to distinguish between the colours set by legislation and the company's own standard.
| Element | Rule in the legislation | Recommended practice |
|---|---|---|
| Vehicle traffic route boundary | Annex 5: yellow or white continuous or broken line, chosen with regard to the floor colour, leaving a safe distance between vehicles and nearby objects and pedestrians | Choose one colour site-wide; use broken lines only for boundaries that may be crossed |
| Obstacles and dangerous locations (columns, ramp edges, low beams) | Annex 5: yellow-black or red-white stripes of equal size at roughly 45 degrees | Paint column guards in the same pattern |
| Pedestrian walkway | No separate colour is specified; the Buildings Regulation requires routes to be clearly marked | A colour or pattern different from the traffic line, with a pedestrian symbol; ideally a corridor separated by barriers |
| Pedestrian crossing | No separate rule | Zebra lines, a stop line on the forklift side, a "stop-look" sign at the start of the crossing |
| Stacking and pallet drop area | No separate rule | Area bounded by corner markings, not spilling into the route lines |
Whatever colour you choose for walkway lines, write the meaning of each colour into the traffic plan and keep it the same across the whole site. Mixed practices, where green means a walkway in one hall and yellow means a vehicle route in another, confuse people, especially new and temporary workers.
Paint is a warning, not a barrier. On main corridors where pedestrians walk constantly, at points where the forklift's turning circle overlaps the walkway, and at doorways, a physical barrier is far more effective than marking.
How is a forklift speed limit set?
The regulation makes a speed limit mandatory but does not give a figure. The limit is set area by area through risk assessment. When deciding, consider these questions:
- Is there pedestrian traffic in the area, and how heavy is it?
- Is the floor slippery, sloping or damaged; is there a ramp?
- Does the load block the driver's view; is the load lifted high?
- How wide are the aisles and how far can the driver see at turning points?
A practical approach is to define two or three zones: a limit close to walking pace at pedestrian crossings, doorways and loading areas; a higher but still fixed limit in wide main aisles without pedestrians. The value you set should be adjustable through the forklift's speed limiter, announced on signs at zone entrances and explained in driver training. Monitor whether the limit is followed through shift supervisor observation or on-board recording systems.
The suitability of the forklift itself is also part of the plan: see our article on the forklift operator's daily check for daily checks by the operator, and the periodic inspection intervals guide for the periodic inspection of forklifts and pallet trucks carried out at least once a year; you can track inspection dates with the OHS calendar.
Blind-corner mirrors and other visibility measures
Rack ends and doorways are typical points for forklift-pedestrian collisions. Use these measures together at such points:
- Blind-corner mirror: A convex mirror is mounted at a height and angle visible to both the driver and the pedestrian. A dirty, scratched or misaligned mirror is useless; add mirrors to the weekly checklist.
- Stop point: A mirror alone is not enough. Set a full-stop rule for forklifts leaving a rack end into the main aisle and paint a stop line on the floor.
- Warning lights and audible alarms: Warning lamps that project light onto the floor in front of or behind the forklift show pedestrians in advance that a vehicle is approaching. A reversing alarm alone may not be distinguishable in busy areas.
- Lighting: When entering from outside through a doorway, visibility drops until the eyes adjust; increase lighting around doors.
- Load visibility: If the load blocks the forward view, the driver drives in reverse or a banksman is used.
Plan checklist
Once your traffic plan is ready, test it with these questions:
- Can pedestrians reach every destination without entering the forklift area?
- Is there a separate, marked pedestrian door next to the vehicle door?
- Are crossing points limited in number, lit and guided by barriers?
- Is the speed limit for each zone written down, signposted and set on the forklifts?
- Are there mirrors and stop lines at rack ends and doorways?
- Do stacks and pallets spill over into route lines?
- Are visitors, supplier drivers and temporary workers met with the sketch and the rules?
- Was a forklift-pedestrian near miss recorded in the last month, and was the sketch updated accordingly?
Checklist findings should be entered into the risk assessment; a near miss, a change to the plan or a new racking layout is enough reason to update the assessment. For the general steps, see our article on how to carry out a risk assessment.
In logistics and warehousing businesses, preparing the traffic sketch on site, identifying crossing points and turning the rules into training is part of our OHS specialist service; findings are entered as actions in the risk assessment document. With its warehouses around the port and free zone, Gemlik is also within our service area.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much distance should there be between a forklift route and a walkway?
The legislation says "sufficient distance" and "safe distance" without giving a fixed figure. Set the distance through risk assessment based on the forklift's width, load overhang, turning circle and pedestrian density. Where the distance cannot be achieved, use a physical barrier.
What colour should walkway lines be?
The Regulation on Health and Safety Signs requires vehicle traffic routes to be marked with yellow or white lines; it does not set a separate colour for walkways. Choose a colour or pattern that can be told apart from the vehicle route line and write its meaning into the traffic plan.
What should the forklift speed limit be?
There is no figure in the regulation; setting and enforcing a speed limit is mandatory. Set the limit area by area according to pedestrian density, floor, visibility and load conditions, configure it through the forklift's speed limiter and monitor compliance.
Is fitting a blind-corner mirror enough?
No. A mirror is an aid that improves visibility. It is effective when used together with a full-stop rule at rack ends and doorways, an appropriate speed, lighting and, where possible, separating pedestrians and forklifts with barriers.
A certified specialist matched to your hazard class: site inspections, approved logbook, training plan, annual plan and report follow-up.
Bursa SİSTEMER OSGB Technical Team — written from the field experience of our OHS specialists and workplace physicians. Legal information is valid as of the publication/update date; contact us for an assessment specific to your business.