Credit: Toyota Material Handling Blog – Published January 27, 2026 Common Electric Reach Truck Questions What is An Electric Reach Truck and How Is It Different Than a Typical Forklift? Electric reach trucks are designed for narrow-aisle warehouses where operators need to lift loads to higher rack levels while maintaining a small turning radius. What…
Forklift Batteries: Choosing the Right Power for Maximum Uptime
When you think of forklifts, horsepower and hydraulics might come to mind – but the battery is the true heart of your electric fleet. Choosing the right battery impacts uptime, performance, maintenance costs, and long-term profitability. At Thompson & Johnson, we work with dozens of businesses every month to help them understand which forklift battery…
As we wrap up another busy year at Thompson & Johnson, it’s the perfect time to look back at the topics that sparked the most interest, conversation, and clicks in 2025. From safety must-knows to maintenance tips that kept operations running smoothly, our team covered a lot of ground in 2025 — and you showed…
Fatal Forklift Accident at Georgia EV Battery Plant Prompts OSHA Investigation
This past May, a tragic construction site accident claimed the life of a worker at the HL-GA Battery Co. plant in Bryan County, Georgia. According to reports from the Bryan County Sheriff’s Office, a load fell off a forklift, fatally striking the man. This fatal forklift accident, which occurred at the future site of an…
Deionized Water: The Perfect “Solution” for Maintaining Your Lead-Acid Batteries
Regular maintenance of lead-acid forklift batteries helps preserve their capacity and could increase their life and run times. And this pays off in decreased downtime, increased productivity and less money spent on replacing batteries. One of the most significant parts of lead-acid battery maintenance is monitoring water levels and adding water, as needed, to achieve…
National Forklift Safety Day 2025: Why Forklift Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility
Today, June 10th, marks National Forklift Safety Day, a timely reminder that forklift safety isn’t just about protecting operators—it’s a critical component of running a compliant, efficient, and financially sound business. With over 68,000 industrial truck accidents reported each year, ensuring every forklift operator is properly trained and OSHA-compliant is more than best practice—it’s a…
The High Cost of Non-Compliance: Why Forklift Operator Certification Matters
Failing to properly train and certify forklift operators isn’t just a safety risk—it can also be a costly legal and financial mistake. Under OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations, employers who neglect forklift training requirements face steep penalties. In serious cases, fines can reach $161,323 per violation. But the financial consequences don’t stop at…
Forklifts and Foot Traffic: Why Pedestrian Safety Training is Critical in Warehouses
As an employer, you have a legal obligation to keep all of your employees safe in your workplace. OSHA’s General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that could cause death or serious physical harm to employees. This means as an employer you are required to conduct any required training…
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