Safety Knights

They're not illegal other than if your company prohibits them.

The only thing I could think of would be if it's PIT or construction equipment that you're talking about 1910.178(a)(4) or 1926.602(c)(1)(ii) might apply.

Some states grant people who can’t use a traditional steering wheel permission to use these on the road. I only know this because we hired a trucker from one of those states. My DPS contact tells me it is a ticket every time, but nothing specifically allows or disallows their use.

Fun times.

At 16 in 1970 I took Driver's Ed in hs, in Michigan. I remember our teacher telling us that suicide knobs were absolutely illegal IN Mi and Ohio. My hs is only 10 miles from the Ohio border, so we learned Ohio law too sometimes.

After hs I went to college but worked in manufacturing in summers and saw PITs. Post college I was a supervisor in a huge iron foundry where PITs were very important in the Mfg process. Over the next 46 years I have seen, supervised, taught & trained, and even driven myself lots and lots of PITS. I have seen them evolve. I do not ever remember seeing suicide knobs on PITs until about 2015 or so. And usually then only one Class I Lift Trucks that are stand up, electric, and usually only have one rear tire. The operator stands at an slight angle while operating.

On these trucks the ones I have seen are OEM. I know of nothing in 1910.178 that would ban them, and since they are OEM from the manufacturer I think are good.

If you are adding them POST OEM I think you need to be careful as Tim says citing 1910.178(a)(4). Adding a suicide knob to a Class 4 Lift Truck that is several years old would in my opinion affect "safe operation" and thus would require manufacturer's prior written approval. Good Luck with that one!

AS far as IL goes, first I live an work in your state to the north. Second, OSHA (Fed) covers Illinois for private industry, government and public are State OSHA. Although I could have it backwards.

OEM often has them on Linde.