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A simple forklift certification request uncovered critical safety gaps across a 200+ employee logistics operation. What started as training became a comprehensive safety transformation.
Summit Logistics & Distribution operates three warehouse and distribution facilities with over 200 employees. They contacted CSM for a straightforward need: forklift operator certification for a group of new hires. It was supposed to be a one-day engagement. But during the first site visit, CSM's trainer identified safety gaps that went far beyond forklift operation — gaps that represented significant regulatory exposure and real risk to Summit's workforce.
When CSM's trainer arrived for the forklift certification, the gaps became apparent within the first hour. Summit had grown steadily over the years, adding facilities, employees, and equipment — but never investing in a real safety infrastructure. What we found was not unusual for companies of this size, but it was serious.
Summit had no written hazard communication, emergency action, or fire prevention programs — all OSHA requirements for general industry employers.
LOTO procedures had not been updated since the original facility was built. New equipment, conveyors, and packaging lines had no energy control procedures documented.
Several areas met OSHA's definition of permit-required confined spaces, but there were no entry permits, no atmospheric monitoring, and no rescue plans in place.
Employee training records were incomplete or nonexistent. There was no documentation showing that workers had been trained on the hazards specific to their roles.
CSM estimated that if OSHA conducted an inspection at any of the three facilities, the potential penalty exposure exceeded $200,000 across serious violations in lockout/tagout, confined space, hazard communication, powered industrial trucks, and recordkeeping. But more importantly, the existing conditions were putting workers at real risk every day.
CSM presented Summit's leadership with the gap assessment findings and a phased plan to address them. To their credit, they did not hesitate — they understood the risk and authorized CSM to move forward immediately.
What started as a forklift certification visit became a comprehensive gap assessment. CSM's trainer — an experienced safety professional, not just a training instructor — walked all three facilities and documented every compliance gap, from missing written programs to unguarded floor openings. The findings were compiled into a prioritized action plan organized by severity and regulatory exposure.
CSM delivered immediate training on the highest-risk exposures: powered industrial truck operations (forklift, order picker, pallet jack), lockout/tagout for all affected and authorized employees, hazard communication including GHS label reading and SDS access, and emergency action procedures. All training was delivered on-site across all three facilities in English and Spanish.
CSM developed written safety programs for every identified gap — not generic templates, but programs customized to Summit's specific operations, equipment, and facility layouts. Each program included standard operating procedures, training requirements, inspection checklists, and documentation forms. Confined space entry permits were created for every identified PRCS area with site-specific rescue plans.
CSM trained Summit's shift supervisors and team leads to sustain the programs internally. We developed a new-hire safety orientation program, created a monthly safety meeting calendar with pre-built agendas, and established a near-miss reporting system that gave management visibility into leading indicators. The goal was never to create dependency — it was to build Summit's internal safety capability.
Summit called us for forklift training. They got a safety partner. That is the CSM difference — our trainers are experienced safety professionals who see the whole picture, not just the training topic on the schedule. When we find gaps, we tell you. And when you are ready to fix them, we are ready to help.
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Learn MoreWhether you need forklift certification, OSHA 10/30-Hour courses, or specialized training — our professionals deliver more than a certificate. They bring the expertise to identify what else your operation needs.