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Boeing forklift drivers score big at regional event Boeing was the team to beat at the regional Washington Governor's Industrial Safety & Health Advisory Board Forklift Rodeo on Saturday, Aug. 23.
The competition yielded eight expert Boeing drivers in a field of 31 contestants from six companies. Three of the Boeing contenders comprised the winning team in last year's state forklift rodeo, and one of the three, Doug Graham, is the reigning individual state champ.
Boeing drivers once again proved to be "the best of the best," as defined by Tom McClelland, director of Site Services for Puget Sound Integrated Defense Systems.
Graham placed first in the individual competition, which he has won several times in previous contests. Teammates Joseph Henry and Mike Weinman, who along with Graham formed the 2007 winning team at state, placed third and fourth, respectively. A driver from Oak Harbor Freight Lines placed second. Boeing was also the top-scoring team, followed by Oak Harbor Freight.
The regional event allowed each driver only one chance to drive the course made up of obstacles, serpentine routes, narrow gates, and exact lifting and positioning tasks. Individual scores, which are based on best accuracy, fewest penalties, and elapsed time, are not announced until all drivers have completed the circuit.
Boeing driver Joe Henry conceded that, much like an Olympics athlete, forklift competitors need to be "in the zone" to win.
Another Boeing competitor, Jeff Graham, added that the one-opportunity format puts on the pressure. "I would love to try it again," he said after his race, "and fix what I did wrong." Good forklift drivers know when they've made a mistake, he explained.
To excel at driving a forklift requires excellent hand and eye coordination, McClelland said, as well as "360-degree situational awareness."
No matter how adept drivers may be at maneuvering the forklift and loads on the tines, they also have to be ready for one variable they can't
control: people. Unpredictable people were represented in the competition with life-size cutouts of real Boeing personnel posing as pedestrians.
Site Services Leader Lori Pitzer noted that forklift drivers may know what's on their lift and how to handle it, but then a pedestrian wanders in who may not understand the vehicle's limitations and blind areas.
Forklift rodeos such as the Boeing, regional and state competitions help raise awareness of safety issues for drivers and non-drivers alike.
Safety is a Site Services initiative, McClelland explained. "These drivers are great examples-they move millions of dollars worth of product, from subassemblies to towing aircraft, and they do it surrounded by people."
The rodeos "demonstrate the business of everyday," he added, "and if it prevents one person from getting hurt, it's worthwhile."
The Boeing team will next move on to the state competition Sept. 24-25 in Spokane, Wash.
The competition yielded eight expert Boeing drivers in a field of 31 contestants from six companies. Three of the Boeing contenders comprised the winning team in last year's state forklift rodeo, and one of the three, Doug Graham, is the reigning individual state champ.
Boeing drivers once again proved to be "the best of the best," as defined by Tom McClelland, director of Site Services for Puget Sound Integrated Defense Systems.
Graham placed first in the individual competition, which he has won several times in previous contests. Teammates Joseph Henry and Mike Weinman, who along with Graham formed the 2007 winning team at state, placed third and fourth, respectively. A driver from Oak Harbor Freight Lines placed second. Boeing was also the top-scoring team, followed by Oak Harbor Freight.
The regional event allowed each driver only one chance to drive the course made up of obstacles, serpentine routes, narrow gates, and exact lifting and positioning tasks. Individual scores, which are based on best accuracy, fewest penalties, and elapsed time, are not announced until all drivers have completed the circuit.
Boeing driver Joe Henry conceded that, much like an Olympics athlete, forklift competitors need to be "in the zone" to win.
Another Boeing competitor, Jeff Graham, added that the one-opportunity format puts on the pressure. "I would love to try it again," he said after his race, "and fix what I did wrong." Good forklift drivers know when they've made a mistake, he explained.
To excel at driving a forklift requires excellent hand and eye coordination, McClelland said, as well as "360-degree situational awareness."
No matter how adept drivers may be at maneuvering the forklift and loads on the tines, they also have to be ready for one variable they can't
control: people. Unpredictable people were represented in the competition with life-size cutouts of real Boeing personnel posing as pedestrians.
Site Services Leader Lori Pitzer noted that forklift drivers may know what's on their lift and how to handle it, but then a pedestrian wanders in who may not understand the vehicle's limitations and blind areas.
Forklift rodeos such as the Boeing, regional and state competitions help raise awareness of safety issues for drivers and non-drivers alike.
Safety is a Site Services initiative, McClelland explained. "These drivers are great examples-they move millions of dollars worth of product, from subassemblies to towing aircraft, and they do it surrounded by people."
The rodeos "demonstrate the business of everyday," he added, "and if it prevents one person from getting hurt, it's worthwhile."
The Boeing team will next move on to the state competition Sept. 24-25 in Spokane, Wash.