Due to the stricter guidelines being in force regarding Health & Safety at work, companies are having to tighten up on procedures in this area, which previously may have been overlooked - sometimes with considerable cost to the company in both financial and human terms.

It is not an area where risks should, or need to be taken. For a very reasonable cost suitable training ensures that your forklift operators know how to handle the trucks they drive, the procedure for daily checks and the do's and don'ts to avoid accidents.

It is the employers responsibility and a legal requirement to ensure that all personnel are fully trained on any equipment they are expected to use, whether it is powered or manual, and yet it is surprising that some still ignore this - until it is too late!

It must be noted that although the employer may have taken the necessary steps initially in training the employee, there are further steps that must be taken to ensure the complete training programme. Both the following aspects of training can be carried out by the employer's own staff and once this has been done and records kept to that effect, the employer will be deemed to have completed a full training programme.

1. After the employee has been successfully trained to operate a forklift and has received a licence (certificate of competence) to that effect, he must be given specific training, i.e. practical training on-site in a cordoned off area specifically to the employee's current job specification.


2. Once specific training has been given, familiarisation training must be given, i.e. actually training the employee within his own working environment.

 

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