Checking For Safety

The forklift pre-use checks are an important part of any operators daily routine. A competent operator is the best placed individual to identify any potential defects to the employer, enabling problems to be rectified before they become a danger to Health and Safety.

The procedure for checking a forklift for potential defects is covered during a candidates test process. A candidate is observed carrying out the pre-use check by an examiner and questioned on his ability to identify potential faults. The process is designed not only for accident prevention but can help the owner of the lift truck avoid expensive repair bills and Health and Safety investigations such as the one reported by the HSE here. In the reported instance the carriage bearings had failed: a fault that could have been identified during the operational checks.

This video is a truck that we encountered during training. The body of the truck is supposed to be mounted securely to the chassis!

The pre-use check procedure requires the operator to carry out a number of visual checks of the mast, together with all of its lifting components, the wheels and tyres before carrying out function tests of the mast, steering, drive and braking systems and the horn and lights.

A Counterbalance Check Sheet

The pre-use checks should be recorded on a daily check sheet. The training provider can normally provide these to suit your needs. It contains all of the elements that should be inspected on a daily or pre-use interval. The elements to be checked are defined by the manufacturer and industry standards.

The check sheet is a useful means of ensuring that no critical components are overlooked, faults are reported to the appropriate authority and that a record is kept to illustrate to the Health and Safety Executive that the relevant regulations are being complied with.

Always consider the importance of using an accredited company when choosing a training provider. The RTITB and ITSSAR accreditations held by Alba Forklift Training ensures that all operators are trained in the conduct of the pre-use checks.

Contact us if you would like a copy of our check sheet for any particular lift truck.

Restricted forklift applications often overlook lifting at height

Restricted applications often overlook the need for training forklift operators to work at height. Quite often the nature of forklift operations means that this important element of training is overlooked. In smaller warehousing situations a forklift might be provided for the purposes of loading and unloading multi drops from delivery vehicles. In some environments such as machinery installation the majority of forklift operations involve ground level lifting with the occasional requirement to sling machines from the forks. More often than not the need to work at height is never considered.

A recent accident reported by the HSE highlights the importance of training forklift operators to appreciate the additional precautions to be taken by forklift operators when working at height. 2 operators were removing redundant machinery from a mezzanine level. As the forklift driver raised the forks to allow his colleague to attach a sling on the mezzanine

A mezzanine safety gate arrangement

his fork tip caught a bracket on the safety gate. Unaware of the situation he continued to raise the forks until the strain sheared the bracket. The fork shot upwards with such force that it caused a double skull fracture, facial fractures and a fractured eye socket when it hit his colleague.

A training course conducted at an accredited forklift training centre will prepare a forklift operator for the hazards associated with working at height. These hazards are not only the forks: their height and distance from objects in front of the truck but also overhead objects such as cable ducting, pipes and beams as well as the stability issues associated with a forklift with an extended mast.

To ensure that operators are trained in all aspects of safe operation, always use an accredited provider and where site conditions don't permit lifting at height, consider the benefits of sending them off-site to an approved forklift training centre.