Proper training for forklift truck operators and their managers and supervisors has never been more important. Recent years have seen major advances in the design, performance and utilisation of workplace transport equipment. Despite this progression, fork lifts remain one of the UK’s largest single causes of workplace fatalities, with the potential to cause over 1,100 injuries per year, according to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).
![Stuart[4]](https://warehousenews.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Stuart4.jpg)
Recognising this situation, the HSE confirmed its long-standing commitment to workplace transport safety earlier this year with the release of the third edition of the Approved Code of Practice (L117), for the use of Rider-operated lift trucks. The new version puts an additional emphasis on training not just operators, but managers and supervisors too. Businesses must be sure to provide adequate training for the full workforce in order to maintain a safe working environment. Fortunately help is at hand. Established over 25 years, Mentor Training is the UK’s leading provider of training and associated services for all types of materials handling equipment and workplace transport. Their experience, size and structure ensures the most professional and cost effective support for every type and size of business, owners of big fleets and small operators alike.
Stuart Taylor, Director of Mentor Performance & Risk Management, spoke to Warehouse & Logistics News.
WLN – First of all, Stuart, can you tell us about the Mentor Performance & Risk Management division? What does it do, and why have you set it up?
Mentor PRM has been established to compliment the existing range of operator training courses and to add value to our customers by extending the formal management and bespoke training services that the company provides. Many of the management training courses were already established, and traditionally the company has provided bespoke training packages to meet customers’ specific needs as well as offer advice, develop safe systems of work and carry out gap analysis audits. My role is to formalise these existing activities and ensure they are structured and promoted and part of our day-to-day offering.
WLN – What does your day-to-day role involve as Director of Mentor Performance & Risk Management?
Over the last few months I have been involved in the development of a number of exciting new management training courses relating to lift truck operations. This has involved meeting customers and industry accrediting bodies in order to ensure the courses are relevant to our customer’s requirements and also meet the HSE guidance. We have also been raising awareness of the latest HSE guidance and the benefits for companies to ensure that they initiate the relevant training. One of our new courses, ‘Managing Forklift Operations,’ has already been launched and the uptake is encouraging and continuing to grow. In the last quarter of this year we will also be launching another very exciting and innovative managers’ and supervisors’ training course that we believe will be readily accepted and in demand.
WLN – What operator training do you offer? We’re focusing in this interview on forklift truck training, but what other types of industrial equipment do you offer training for?
With regards to lift trucks, we cover the complete product range but over the last ten years the company has been growing and establishing our name in new training areas, including access platforms, crane training and mobile plant. We also provide training for LGV shunting, tow tugs, mobile access towers, manual handling and banksman. All the courses we offer are recognised and approved by the relevant industry sector accrediting bodies. Our goal is to offer a single provider solution for the Workplace Transport sector.
WLN – How many forklift operators have you trained to date, and how many do you see per year?
We are very proud to have trained over 500,000 operators since the company was formed 25 years ago, and at present we are training over 45,000 fork lift operators per year!
WLN – You describe your courses as the most competitively priced training for every type and size of business. How big a factor is cost, when it comes to choosing a training provider?
Our customers expect the very best standards but also want the best value, so we offer readily available instructors delivering accredited courses to the highest standards at fixed costs across the country, regardless of distance travelled. Of course cost is important, especially in the present economic climate, but our customers understand the importance and the benefits in having accredited, trained operators and value peace of mind, consistency in standards of delivery and genuine national coverage for simplified administration and convenience.
WLN – When was the company founded?
Mentor is currently celebrating its 25th year and to celebrate, the company has embarked on ‘Mission 25’ to raise £25,000 over 12 months for five great causes. The company is donating 50p of every training day booked by our customers to our charity fund.
WLN – Where is Mentor based? How many different UK training locations do you have?
Mentor’s head office is based in Chesterfield and we have a fantastic training facility. As the business has expanded we have also opened offices and training facilities in Bromsgrove and Livingston.
WLN – How many UK staff do you have?
The Mentor team comprises over 150 qualified and committed training instructors, who provide 24/7 nationwide coverage, highly experienced and knowledgeable technical managers, who are expert practioners in the field of training and health and safety in the Workplace Transport sector, plus 50 support staff. Mentor’s greatest asset is its depth of resource in people and systems and its experience and knowledge of the Workplace Transport sector.
WLN – Do people come to you for training, or can you go to them if needs be?
Our three training locations are always busy, but over 95% of training is delivered at the customer’s site to minimise costs and disruption to the customer’s operation, as well as providing site-specific training in the operator’s normal working environment.
WLN – How do you sum up your company philosophy?
Our company culture is based upon a total commitment to understanding customer needs, offering cost-effective solutions, advice and guidance and putting the increasingly complex needs of our customers first. We believe that the incredible customer retention we enjoy is the best reflection that our philosophy is right!
WLN – Who are your operator training courses accredited by?
Our lift truck training courses are all accredited by the Accrediting Bodies Association – Workplace Transport (ABA’s). These are the industry sector bodies that work together with the HSE in developing standards for our industry. The ABA’s were involved in working with the HSE in developing the Approved Code of Practice L117. Our instructors are all qualified to the same high standards.
WLN – We’re publishing this to coincide with the latest Fork Lift Truck Association Safety Conference. Are you (Mentor) involved with the Conference in any way?
Yes, I have been fortunate to have been asked to give a presentation on the subject of Managing Forklift Operations, which is a very current, relevant and important topic.
WLN – That figure we quoted in the introduction of over 1,100 potential injuries per year caused by forklift trucks is pretty grim. Have fork truck safety standards got any better in the last few years? Have you got any figures from the HSE to show things have improved at all?
There was a positive development between 2008 and 2010 for the Workplace Transport sector overall, but the statistics for 2010/11 are concerning as there is an increase for this period. In the Workplace Transport sector the historic evidence is that the percentage increase in accidents in a boom compared to a recession is a 1% increase in major accidents and an 8.4% increase in over 3 day injuries – so there needs to be added emphasis on providing the right type and standard of training to ensure we don’t see an increase year on year.
WLN – How is the new, third edition of the Code of Practice for the use of Rider-operated lift trucks different from what was before?
The new edition contains the updated Approved Code of Practice text, which has been revised from the previous edition and also incorporates and replaces the HSG6 – ‘Safety in working with lift trucks’. The new edition also calls for specific training for those responsible for supervising forklift operators to identify any potential hazards occurring in everyday fork lift operations. It expects them to carry out effective observations; communicate and line manage; recognise unsafe practices and promote health and safety standards. Training for companies’ managers and supervisors is not a new topic and has always been a requirement under PUWER regulation 9, but we believe it is relevant that the HSE have included very clear guidance on this subject here, bringing it to the forefront of people’s attention.
WLN – Where can people find out more about the Code of Practice?
Free copies of the revised ACoP are available to download from www.hse.gov.uk. Printed copies are available from Mentor; visit www.mentortraining.co.uk or call 01246 555222 to order. We have also produced a number of supporting documents that provide a concise explanation of companies’ responsibilities and how they can address them. We are happy to help anyone who would like to contact us.
WLN – What courses do you offer specifically for managers and supervisors?
Our ‘Managing Forklift Operations course’ fully meets and complies with this new guidance. We believe that providing an understanding of managers’ and supervisors’ legal responsibilities is often a catalyst for positive change. It is then the combination of operator and manager or supervisor training that brings about the cultural changes in behaviour that continuously reduce unnecessary accidents and costs to the company. The course equips managers with the specialist knowledge and confidence to promote safety standards and stop bad practice in its tracks.
WLN – What does it cover?
The Managing Forklift Operations course covers relevant legislation, responsibilities under law, potential penalties, key safety principles and visual enforcement of good and bad practice. The course also emphasises the financial and moral benefits of managing safely and the positive impact this can have on the working environment and the financial success of the company.
WLN – How many people have done it so far? What has the feedback been like?
To date, over 1,000 managers and supervisors have been trained and are putting theory into practice among their teams, implementing the correct operating procedures and spreading key safety messages within their workplace. The feedback we are receiving from our customers demonstrates the beneficial and immediate impact that having suitably trained managers and supervisors delivers. And the fact that every customer we’ve had for the course so far has booked further courses suggests it meets their practical and ‘value for money’ needs.
WLN – Are your Managers’ courses ‘one size fits all,’ or can they be tailored for different companies?
Though readily available in a ‘generic’ format, which will meet many customers’ requirements in full, the Mentor Managing Forklift Operations course can also be tailored to reflect customer specific environments, challenges, safe systems of work and procedures. This ensures that the course content is totally relevant to the delegates and is a great way of establishing and confirming a company’s own processes.
WLN – How long does the Managers’ Course take to do? Do Managers who complete your courses get a certificate at the end?
The generic course takes between six and eight hours and can be delivered at one of our three training centres or at a customer’s site. Upon successful completion of the course delegates will be awarded with an accredited certificate in Managing Forklift Operations.
WLN – Finally, where do you see Mentor going from here?
The company will continue to grow and develop by satisfying customers’ needs, and we will build on the firm foundations of the past 25 years’ training and workplace transport experience to deliver a safer workplace, greater efficiency and lower costs for our customers.
Mentor FLT Training Ltd
Tel: 01246 555222
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