Why do experienced forklift operators still have accidents?
It’s tempting to think that once an operator has years of experience, the risk of accidents drops away. But the reality is very different — some of the most serious incidents I’ve come across have involved highly experienced drivers.
So what’s going on? The answer lies more in psychology than in skill.
We get too comfortable.
Routine tasks push our brains into autopilot. Over time, hazards feel “normal” and obvious risks stop being noticed. Psychologist James Reason described this as inattentional blindness — a worker may literally not see a danger that’s right in front of them.
Confidence can cloud judgement.
The more experience someone has, the more they believe they’re unlikely to make a mistake. But research shows that confidence doesn’t always match reality — incident rates don’t fall as much as operators think they do.
We stop seeing the risk.
If you’re exposed to hazards every day, you adapt. A cracked fork, a missing seatbelt, or a cluttered aisle becomes “just the way things are”. That sense of danger fades until it’s too late.
Culture matters too.
If the pressure on site is always to “get it done quickly”, then even good operators start to cut corners. Habits are shaped by the team around them, not just by training.
What helps prevent this?
✓ Refresher courses that challenge habits.
✓ Talking openly about near misses without blame.
✓ A workplace culture that values safety as much as speed.
✓ Involving operators in risk assessments so they stay switched on.
At Axisafety Training Ltd, we focus on more than just controls and checklists. We help operators — new and experienced — think differently about risk, so safety isn’t just something they once learned, it’s something they live by every day. On-site training, real equipment, real conversations.
If your team could do with a reset, let’s talk. Email us info@axisafetyni.com
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