Forklift training simply a must
December 05th 2011 Tony was a good lad. He’d been in his new job a couple of months when his boss told him to bring the forklift across the yard. Tony hesitated.
Sure, he knew how to drive a car... but he’d never even sat on a fork truck and he certainly hadn’t been trained. How difficult could it be? Seating himself, he worked out how to lift the forks and, with only a slight jolt, drove it into place. Relieved, and a bit elated, he climbed off and went about his normal work.
Two days later he was told to drive the forklift again. Only this time it was already carrying a load – a massive sheet of plate glass worth thousands. Gripped by the spectre of what could go wrong... smashed glass everywhere... his boss going ballistic... someone fatally injured – him perhaps – Tony was rooted to the spot. “Come on Doris!” his boss jeered as co-workers gathered to see what would happen next. Tony’s dilemma: do as you’re told... or stand your ground – and say you haven’t been trained yet. This is a true story. One that is being repeated many times a day throughout the UK – leading to serious accidents, injuries and costly damage.
Every year, five to ten Britons are killed by fork lift trucks and around four hundred are hospitalised with major injuries including amputations and crushing. Over a thousand more suffer accidents requiring at least three days’ recovery time.
Even after recent safety improvements, which have resulted in a 69% reduction of accidents, fork lift trucks still account for more serious injuries than any other workplace transport. It is paramount that only those who have been fully trained to operate a fork lift truck are allowed to do so – and that everyone onsite is aware of this.
Around two thirds of accident victims were not driving the truck at the time, so it is essential that every employee working near fork lift trucks is made fully aware of the dangers they pose and, importantly, how to minimise these risks.
Comparing figures from the Office of National Statistics and Skills for Logistics reveals that one in twelve of all UK employees regularly works with or alongside fork lift trucks – but more than half of these, a million or more people, have not received the minimum training recommended for their job.
Trainers believe that budget cuts, coupled with staff shortages and a lack of awareness, are behind this dangerous shortfall. Whatever the causes may be, by neglecting to ensure appropriate training levels, employers are placing lives, limbs and businesses at risk. Can we really afford proper training?
In the current climate that is an understandable question. However
the price of training is tiny compared to the potential costs of:
• Damaged goods.
• Damaged fork lift trucks.
• Damaged buildings.
• Damaged racking and infrastructure.
• Staff time lost through injury.
• Loss of business and reputation.
• Possible prosecution and fines.
• Litigation for injury or death.
Failing to properly train employees will add up to millions of pounds. So perhaps the question should be: Can you really afford not to have proper training? Remember: It’s not just a case of having your usual operators trained. Things can go wrong - even if it’s “just a quick job”. You need to have all people who will ever be expected to work with or alongside fork lift trucks at your premises fully trained, covering every eventuality.
Not trained? Not legal!
The other reason to take training extremely seriously is that it is a legal requirement and the law is clear about management’s duty of care in this area. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers are required to provide whatever information, instruction, training and supervision is necessary to ensure employees’ health and safety in the workplace.
The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 expands on this. It identifies situations where training is particularly important, such as when a new employee starts, is exposed to new or increased risks, or where existing skills may be in need of refreshing.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (1998) (PUWER 98) clearly outlines your obligations as an employer: “Every employer shall ensure that all persons who use work equipment have received adequate training for purposes of health and safety, including training in the methods which may be adopted when using the work equipment, any risks which such use may entail and precautions to be taken.”
Regulation 9 (1)
“Every employer shall ensure that any of its employees who supervises or manages the use of work equipment has received adequate training…”
Regulation 9 (2)
This legislation covers all types of fork lift trucks – including hand pallet trucks – and requires that appropriate training must be provided by employers.
Further guidance on the crucial subject of training can be found on the FLTA website, www.fork-truck.org.uk, and in the HSE publication Rider-Operated Lift Trucks: Operator Training – Approved Code of Practice and Guidance (L117). More articles from Fork Lift Truck Association: | 
