To mark its National Safety Week, the Fork Lift Truck Association is challenging HSM readers to test
their knowledge of basic lift truck safety principles
Even after recent improvements in
the safety record, at least oTo mark its National Safety Week, the Fork Lift Truck Association is challenging HSM readers to test
their knowledge of basic lift truck safety principles
Even after recent improvements in
the safety record, at least one UK
worker is still being seriously
injured by a fork lift truck every day.
Frequently, these accidents have lifechanging
or even fatal consequences.
The real tragedy is that most are entirely
avoidable.
The Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA)
believes that spreading basic safety
knowledge - and acting upon it - could
be enough to dramatically reduce the risks
faced by the two million people who work
with or alongside fork lift trucks.
The Association is challenging any UK
business using a fork lift truck to confirm
its own awareness of the basic principles
that can, quite literally, save life and limb.
The FLTA's "Go for Gold Challenge"
takes just a few minutes, is completely
free of charge, and aims to give all
participants a firm set of safety
foundations.
Achieve the "gold standard" (80% or
more) and you will be awarded a
certificate showing you take safety
seriously. The top 10 scores will also
receive 15 months' free subscription to the
FLTA's Safe User Group.
To take part, simply register your email
address at www.fork-truck.org.uk. While
you're there, visit the Safety Week section
where you'll find your free study
materials: a series of four short articles
which cover the following key aspects of
fork lift truck safety.
Planning
Fork lift trucks are dangerous if used
incorrectly, and are subject to three major
pieces of legislation, making it your legal
obligation - as well as your moral duty to
your employees - to plan your operations
properly before you even start.
Risk assessments
A risk assessment is simply having the
common sense to think through what
you're going to do. For example, what
steps can you take to protect staff: both
fork lift truck operators and colleagues
on foot? Especially, be wary of "just this
once" exceptions to your usual
operations.
Who can drive?
It's essential that employees know who
is and who is not authorised to operate
a fork lift truck - and that this is strictly
enforced.
Site layout and repair
Ask yourself: is your site laid out in a
way that minimises risk? How do you
keep trucks and pedestrians apart? It's
important to look after the space, too.
Poorly maintained or untidy floors
may cause trucks to swerve or even tip
over.
Speed kills
Keeping control of truck speed is
crucial. Set a limit, and then - just as
importantly -enforce it.
Refuelling and recharging
Whether a truck is diesel, electric or
LPG, there are particular risks when it's
refuelling. Ensure operators
understand the dangers, and take them
seriously.
Extra safety equipment
Most safety accessories are not legal
requirements, but that doesn't mean
you shouldn't consider them to reduce
an identified risk.
Finally...
Your well-planned safety policies are
useless unless clearly communicated
and enforced. A piece of paper won't
stop workers taking risks: that's your
job. As supervisor, you need common
sense, training to tell what's safe and
what isn't…and the ability and
authority to act when you see
something wrong.
Training
The single most important element in
fork lift truck safety is arguably the
operator… so it's unfortunate there are so
many myths about training and selection.
Licence to kill?
Most adverts for fork lift truck
operators insist upon a "fork lift truck
licence". The problem is there's no such
thing.
It is the employer's responsibility to
assess a driver's skills, ensure his
readiness for a specific task and to issue
him with written authorisation
Freshening up
There is no legal requirement for fork
lift training to be refreshed after a set
number of years, but drivers' abilities
must be assessed regularly, with
additional training given as needed.
Not just drivers
Remember to train managers and
supervisors, who need to spot and
rectify dangerous practice, and
colleagues working nearby on foot, who
will be much safer if they understand
the particular risks involved.
Maintenance
The importance of looking after a fork lift
truck properly cannot be overstated.
Neglecting maintenance can have serious
consequences on your operations,
including breakdowns and unscheduled
stoppages. Worse still, it can lead to
serious accidents and put you at risk of
prosecutions.
Keep in check
A sound system of daily or pre-shift
checks is the cornerstone of good
maintenance, ensuring essential fluids
are kept topped up and potential
defects are identified before they
become a problem.
Tread carefully
Poor tyre maintenance - including over
or under inflation - may adversely
affect a truck's stability. Therefore,
checking of all tyres is an important
element of pre-shift checks and routine
preventative maintenance.
Damaged or worn tyres should be
replaced without delay. Remember:
only a trained fork lift truck engineer
can carry out this work.
Breathe easy
Fork lift truck operations in confined
areas may generate dangerous levels of
poisonous fumes, so it is very
important that the risks are understood
fully.
Preventative maintenance
Rather than waiting for a fault to occur,
a programme of planned preventative
maintenance, scheduled in accordance
with the manufacturer's
recommendations, should be followed.
Cleaning
Fork lift trucks operating in clean, dry
areas require little cleaning, if any.
Special attention, however, is required
for trucks at risk from contaminants,
which can cause premature failure.
Thorough Examination
While many employers are aware of the
need for Thorough Examination, all
available research indicates that there is
still a great deal of confusion surrounding
this statutory inspection.
Legislation
The operation of fork lift trucks is
governed by two separate pieces of
legislation.
The Provision and Use of Work
Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER
98) applies to everything from
photocopiers to motor vehicles, while
the Lifting Operations and Lifting
Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER
98) covers anything used for lifting,
including tower cranes and dumb
waiters.
This legislation is open to
interpretation, which occasionally leads
some employers to fall foul of the law.
For example, some inspections carried
out under the banner of Thorough
Examination only cover the lifting
mechanism of a fork lift truck - doing
the minimum to satisfy LOLER 98…
However employers also have a separate
duty under PUWER 98 to ensure
equipment is safe to use and that
requires a Competent Person to carry
out a much more detailed test.
To overcome this situation, the
industry's two leading organisations -
the British Industrial Truck Association
(BITA) and the Fork Lift Truck
Association (FLTA) - joined forces to
create a single, national procedure
available to truck users, whatever their
industry or location.
The resulting organisation,
Consolidated Fork Truck Services
(CFTS), has since established a
comprehensive procedure and strict
code of practice, giving fork lift truck
users a consistent, safe national standard
certain to fulfil LOLER and PUWER
requirements.
Take responsibility
Whether a fork lift truck is owned outright
or hired - even for a single day - users and
fleet owners should be fully aware of their
responsibilities.
At present, all fork lift trucks require a
Thorough Examination - at least once
every 12 months - as specified in LOLER
98. Importantly, it is not valid for a set
period of time as there are different
operational conditions which can affect
how quickly important components wear
out. Many managers assume that Thorough
Examinations are automatically covered by
the hire agreement, but legislation clearly
says that the responsibility lies with the
company employing the truck operator.
For more information about CFTS
Thorough Examinations, visit
www.thoroughexamination.org.
