An EHS team evaluating forklift pedestrian safety systems should compare detection coverage, intervention, alert quality, reporting and total cost. Coverage means which people are detected, tagged workers only or untagged visitors as well, and whether detection works around blind corners and behind racking. Intervention ranges from a warning to automatic slowdown, which works only on compatible forklifts. Alert quality covers response time and how many alerts are false, since frequent false alarms teach people to ignore them. Reporting should show close calls by zone and shift. Compare cost per truck and per site over several years.
The full checklist is forklift pedestrian warning systems: what to look for. Run candidates through the same pilot conditions so results are comparable: same high-risk zone, same shifts, same length and the same definition of a valid alert. Ask how the system handles trucks of different makes and ages, what data leaves the site and who can see it, and what maintenance it needs after installation. Involve operators and pedestrians in the trial, because their acceptance decides whether warnings are heeded. For the technology trade-offs, see cameras vs sensors vs AI.