Forklift safety is an industry of two halves, riddled with snares for the unwary or chancers and stubbornly resistant to big improvements, despite the splendid proselytising efforts of institutions like the Fork Lift Truck Association. One half deals with safety procedures revolving around training and their related issues of interface equipment that could affect safety, like lousy floors, poor lighting and housekeeping, use of damaged pallets, no safety signage or racking protectors and lack of hemispherical mirrors. The other half involves the condition of the trucks themselves, which must comply with legislation like PUWER 98 and LOLER 98.
In industries where competition is fierce and margins tight it is tempting to cut corners on truck condition or cut acquisition costs through buying second hand, a segment of the market that is still growing. There is, of course, nothing wrong with buying second hand but great care is needed to keep one out of the courts. The second-hand market is notorious for unscrupulous dealers, who even resort to illegal falsification of documents. Buying such trucks via the Internet is tempting because prices tend to be lower than through traditional sales channels, but the risks are also higher.
A first line of defence against buying second-hand trucks that subsequently prove to have been mis-sold is to deal only with members of the FLTA who must meet certain ethical standards. This body has joined with West Berkshire District Council to launch Fork Truck Watchdog that allows anyone mis-sold a forklift to report its seller for subsequent prosecution, which while laudable is a situation best avoided for its like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted.
While safety procedures matter more than truck condition in cutting accident rates the latter is more likely to slip through the safety net of precautions so what should be done to change that? As already mentioned, when buying second-hand try to stick with members of the FLTA or leading truck producers. All trucks, whether new or second-hand, must be put through a mandatory annual Thorough Examination, which is not the same as regular checks, and this should be done as soon as practical after buying a second-hand truck.
This Thorough Examination can be compared with an MOT but is covered by two different sets of Health and Safety regulations, LOLER 98 and PUWER 98, and passing one set only still leaves one exposed to risk of accidents and prosecution. Forklift attachments are covered by a recent initiative involving a 34-point check of the security of attachment mounts, winch and chain, brake tests, chain and sling wear checks, damage inspections, checks on wear plates and a new check list to cover platforms, safety cages and tail lifts.
Although the minimum regular Thorough Examination is for one year, it could be more frequent under LOLER 98, depending on the truck’s usage profile. Responsibility for this examination depends on the nature of the truck’s acquisition. If it was bought or on a long-term hire of at least 12 months then the responsibility lies with the truck owner or leasee/user. If hired for less than a year the onus is on the rental company. In the latter case, however, hirers should insist that a copy of the truck’s report of Thorough Examination is included with the rental documentation.
Even if buying on the Internet the truck should be accompanied by a valid Thorough Examination, checked out for its legitimacy, and if not forthcoming should be best avoided to save likely high repair bills?
So who should conduct these Thorough Examinations? For peace of mind stick with CFTS accredited companies which now has a national network of over 450 members. It was formed by the FLTA and BITA (British Industrial Truck Association) in consultation with the Health & Safety Executive.
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