Forklift accidents are rising again but ascribing the many causes to discern trends is very difficult. Suspicion for this rise has fallen on the business cycle. As Briggs Equipment explains, as the UK recovers from the recent recession we have reached a point where a hang-over from contraction is hindering expansion. “In previous years there has been a real pressure from customers to reduce their fleets to the ‘right size’. Now, those fleets that were running at close to capacity are under even more pressure to deliver,” a sure recipe for higher accidents rates.
Operational and commercial pressures placed upon drivers to ‘get the job done’ in time have always existed and this undoubtedly boosts the accident statistics. But since the introduction of business techniques like JIT production, the tyranny of time has inflamed the situation. No one would suggest that JIT should be abandoned but there should be a rethink on the right truck fleet size for the business and improved maintenance regimes so that trucks are not down, thus placing even greater stress on the trucks still running.
Fortunately, the more pro-active companies like Toyota and Briggs have devised truck safety aids to limit the dangerous use of trucks. A good example of this is Toyota’s remarkable and unique SAS (System of Active Stability) that constantly monitors forklift operations and automatically takes corrective action when it senses factors that could lead to truck or load instability. Fatigue is another safety factor and in this Toyota offers tilting cabs for its BT Reflex range. Another example is Briggs’ Speedshield asset management tool. This changes operator behaviour so that best practice is the only option. It has tamper proof user controls, speed control, idling cut-out control and a host of other safety features.
Commendable though these truck safety devices are it is a fact that most injuries are not to truck drivers but people moving in their vicinity so this highlights the need to emphasise two other cornerstones of safety – people and processes. As Toyota would say it requires that “we demonstrate the benefits of training and putting processes in place to create a culture of safety.” However, carefully prepared safety features are only as good as the supervisors who enforce them and there has long been evidence that the supervisors themselves can be lacking. Sensing this, HSE released their 3rd edition of the Approved Code of Practice for the use of rider-operated lift trucks. Of greatest significance is the added emphasis placed on the training of managers and supervisors. In addition to the published guides there are the courses from leading truck companies like Briggs, Toyota and Linde plus the stand-alone training organisations like Mentor.
“In the challenging economic climate,” says Toyota, “it has become more important for companies to focus on safety, not only to protect their workers but also to reduce costs relating to injury and damage.” Improving safety is often viewed as a bureaucratic and expensive process but Toyota believes that by focussing on product, people, and process companies can improve safety in the workplace while raising efficiency and reducing costs. There must, however, be a culture change in labour relations. According to the latest six-yearly Skills and Employment survey covering more than 3,000 interviewees, British workers are feeling less secure and more pressured at work than at any time in the past 20 years, with diminished control over their jobs among the biggest concerns. Both the speed of work and pressures of working to tight deadlines have risen to record highs. Just under one third said they were afraid of unfair treatment at work. In this climate of fear good safety is unlikely to flourish. To counter this, employers should give their workers a greater degree of involvement in decision-making because the survey found that those employees who had more such control were more content and less anxious about job or status loss. A happy workforce is a safer workforce.
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