David Sparrow, Managing Director of the Association of Industrial Truck Trainers (AITT) explains why 2016 has been a strong year for the organisation…
For many businesses operating forklifts, complying with health and safety is often considered something of a necessary evil. For many, training (among other requirements) is seen purely as a set of legal obligations to be met. As a result, they often fail to recognise – and reap – the very real benefits.
AITT is committed to tackling this boxticking mentality, encouraging organisations of every size to see the advantages of improving safety… in worker health, company morale, and to the bottom line.
Renewed vigilance
With the latest statistics showing forklift accidents on the rise, we have renewed our commitment to improving safety and training of those working on or around forklifts in the UK (and beyond).
We have firmly put our weight behind the importance of compliance audits this year. During this accreditation visit, the site is audited holistically to assess it under everyday operating conditions. Alongside this, the competencies of all concerned are examined. This includes managers, supervisors, pedestrians and operators, too. The result? Audits that yield real-world benefits.
Talking the talk
In June, I was invited – on behalf of the Accrediting Bodies Association (ABA) – to speak at the Fork Lift Truck Association’s National Fork Lift Safety Conference. This was a fantastic opportunity to address hundreds of forklift managers and supervisors, from across the UK, with a genuine commitment to improving the safety of their sites.
My presentation explained the role of the ABA – in harmonising course structures, along with accreditation and offering employers a point of contact where training certificates etc, presented by job applicants, can be verified.
Working with manufacturers
The year has also been one of growth for the AITT, both in the UK and abroad. Demonstrating our ever-increasing role as a benchmark for the quality and consistency of materials handling training, this year AITT was chosen to accredit the internal and external operator training of global forklift manufacturer, Crown UK Lift Trucks.
Looking ahead to 2017, we are steadfastly committed to the continued raising of training and safety standards – not just for operators, but managers and their coworkers, too – as this will make sites safer throughout the UK. Equally important, it will make them more efficient, since safety and productivity are proven to go hand-in-hand.
AITT
01530 810867
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