National Forklift Safety Day 2019 will mark the 20th  anniversary of Toyota Material Handling USA’s System of Active Stability (SAS). An industry safety innovation, SAS constantly monitors forklift usage to limit the potential for overturn. The SAS takes more than 3,000 readings per second to detect unsafe operating conditions and activates its features improve the lateral and longitudinal stability of the forklift.

Because of its focus on operator safety, SAS has revolutionized the material handling industry’s expectations for safe operation. The system is engineered with 10 sensors, three actuators, and a controller to help maintain forklift stability. SAS now comes standard on most Toyota forklifts.

“Toyota’s number one priority is to create safe products and SAS remains an important innovation to help prevent rollovers,” said TMHU President Jeff Rufener. “This year we will mark 20 years of offering this technology, which leads the way for safety innovation. We’re proud to have developed a technology that can reduce injuries, while mitigating the loss of goods.”

SAS is built on two key systems, the Active Control Rear Stabilizer System and the Active Mast Function Control System. The rear system stabilizes the forklift’s lateral movements by locking the rear axle, converting its usual triangle to a rectangular pattern, reducing risk of lateral tip over. The mast control system uses forward tilt control or rear-tilt speed control to stabilize the forklift longitudinally.

Toyota notes that SAS is not a substitute for operator safety training. National Forklift Safety Day, taking place on June 11, is an annual event that serves as the focal point for forklift manufacturers to reinforce the importance of operator safety training and forklift safety practices. The event also provides an opportunity for the industry to educate customers and policymakers.