MalahatTwo7
06-06-2006, 08:45 AM
GOLF CARTS
How to Keep Them on a Safe Course. By Catherine Jones
We’re two days from tee time for the 2006 U.S. Open. So let’s dedicate this issue to golf cart safety.
Golf Carts Aren’t Just for Golfers
I don’t play golf. Nor, I suspect, do a lot of you. It doesn’t matter. This story isn’t just about golf. That’s because golf carts are no longer just on golf courses. You see them all over — on campuses, large plant facilities and in warehouses. They’re also typically used as work vehicles to transport workers and equipment from one building or job site to another.
Golf Carts Aren’t Toys
Safe use of golf carts is an important topic. This is especially true when you consider that workers have a tendency to view them as toys and ride around on them without worrying about the danger.
But golf carts are dangerous. They can tip over, tumble down damp hills and collide with other vehicles. Golf cart fatalities have involved strangulation, drowning and head trauma.
Safety Tips
Share these golf cart tips with your employees to help them protect themselves, their passengers and their co-workers.
a. Before You Drive. Make sure the horn, brakes and lights work. Check the back-up alarm, tire pressure and battery fluid. Before packing up, ensure the area behind you is clear of all obstacles, including vehicles and pedestrians.
b. When You Drive. Drive only in designated areas and stay off city streets. Drive beside pedestrian walkways (not on them). Observe all standard rules of the road, such as coming to a complete stop at stop signs, signaling before a turn and keeping to the right, except to pass. (M27 Note: that means no "Bump-to-Pass" :D ) Yield to other vehicles and pedestrians. Don’t drive faster than a quick-paced walk. Slow down in wet conditions, on steep slopes, when approaching corners, intersections or blind spots, and in areas of heavy pedestrian traffic. Slow down for speed bumps and uneven pavement. Keep off curbs. To avoid tipping, drive the cart straight up and straight down slopes – not on a diagonal. Don’t drive while distracted. If something other than driving the cart has your attention, stop the vehicle. This includes eating, talking on a cell phone or jotting down notes.
c. Passenger Safety. Observe passenger limits. Only two people should ride in a two-person cart and four in a four-person cart. Wear the seatbelt and make sure passengers wear theirs. Don’t stand up in a moving golf cart and don’t let your passengers either. (M27 Note: I've never seen a cart with seat belts)
d. Stopping and Parking. Don’t park in front of emergency exists, fire hydrants, fire lanes, sidewalks, ramps or doors. When parking, set the brake, place the cart in neutral and remove the key. Secure the parked golf cart with a cable or other locking mechanism.
e. Transporting Goods. If the golf cart is used to transport equipment, there are some special safety rules to consider:
Transport materials during periods of low traffic and pedestrian activity
Don’t overload the cart. Take only the bare minimum.
Make sure the materials are securely fastened.
Loads should not extend more than a foot from either side or front of the golf cart.
Use brightly colored material to flag any loads that extend more than three feet (one meter) from the rear of the cart.
Conclusion
Of course, these tips also apply to golf cart recreational use. Treat a golf cart as you would any motor vehicle — with care and attention.
How to Keep Them on a Safe Course. By Catherine Jones
We’re two days from tee time for the 2006 U.S. Open. So let’s dedicate this issue to golf cart safety.
Golf Carts Aren’t Just for Golfers
I don’t play golf. Nor, I suspect, do a lot of you. It doesn’t matter. This story isn’t just about golf. That’s because golf carts are no longer just on golf courses. You see them all over — on campuses, large plant facilities and in warehouses. They’re also typically used as work vehicles to transport workers and equipment from one building or job site to another.
Golf Carts Aren’t Toys
Safe use of golf carts is an important topic. This is especially true when you consider that workers have a tendency to view them as toys and ride around on them without worrying about the danger.
But golf carts are dangerous. They can tip over, tumble down damp hills and collide with other vehicles. Golf cart fatalities have involved strangulation, drowning and head trauma.
Safety Tips
Share these golf cart tips with your employees to help them protect themselves, their passengers and their co-workers.
a. Before You Drive. Make sure the horn, brakes and lights work. Check the back-up alarm, tire pressure and battery fluid. Before packing up, ensure the area behind you is clear of all obstacles, including vehicles and pedestrians.
b. When You Drive. Drive only in designated areas and stay off city streets. Drive beside pedestrian walkways (not on them). Observe all standard rules of the road, such as coming to a complete stop at stop signs, signaling before a turn and keeping to the right, except to pass. (M27 Note: that means no "Bump-to-Pass" :D ) Yield to other vehicles and pedestrians. Don’t drive faster than a quick-paced walk. Slow down in wet conditions, on steep slopes, when approaching corners, intersections or blind spots, and in areas of heavy pedestrian traffic. Slow down for speed bumps and uneven pavement. Keep off curbs. To avoid tipping, drive the cart straight up and straight down slopes – not on a diagonal. Don’t drive while distracted. If something other than driving the cart has your attention, stop the vehicle. This includes eating, talking on a cell phone or jotting down notes.
c. Passenger Safety. Observe passenger limits. Only two people should ride in a two-person cart and four in a four-person cart. Wear the seatbelt and make sure passengers wear theirs. Don’t stand up in a moving golf cart and don’t let your passengers either. (M27 Note: I've never seen a cart with seat belts)
d. Stopping and Parking. Don’t park in front of emergency exists, fire hydrants, fire lanes, sidewalks, ramps or doors. When parking, set the brake, place the cart in neutral and remove the key. Secure the parked golf cart with a cable or other locking mechanism.
e. Transporting Goods. If the golf cart is used to transport equipment, there are some special safety rules to consider:
Transport materials during periods of low traffic and pedestrian activity
Don’t overload the cart. Take only the bare minimum.
Make sure the materials are securely fastened.
Loads should not extend more than a foot from either side or front of the golf cart.
Use brightly colored material to flag any loads that extend more than three feet (one meter) from the rear of the cart.
Conclusion
Of course, these tips also apply to golf cart recreational use. Treat a golf cart as you would any motor vehicle — with care and attention.