Lift Truck Training

Are you as an organisation, in compliance regards to the training your lift truck operators have received?

Introduction

Lift trucks are widely used for moving materials and goods, but they are involved in about a quarter of all workplace transport accidents. The deaths and injuries caused can ruin lives and businesses. Even when an incident does not cause injury, it can still mean costly damage to lift trucks, buildings, fittings and goods.

As an employer you are required to provide basic training and testing for all lift-truck operators you employ (both new and existing). Properly trained operators can reduce the risk of lift-truck accidents in your workplace.

An ‘operator’ is anyone who operates a lift truck, even as a secondary or occasional part of their job, not only those whose job title is lift-truck operator.

The Law

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) place certain requirements on employers. You must make sure that all people who use, supervise or manage the use of work equipment have received adequate training, which includes:

the correct use of the equipment;

any risks from its use;

the precautions to take.

If you are self-employed, you need to do the same type of training, and achieve the same standard, as employers are required to provide to their employees.

Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) for lift-truck operator training

This summarises the main points on operator training from the HSE Approved Code of Practice (L117) Rider-operated lift trucks: Operator training and safe use. Approved Code of Practice and guidance, L117 covers the training requirements for operators of stacking rider-operated lift trucks.

‘Rider-operated’ means any truck capable of carrying an operator and includes trucks controlled from both seated and stand-on positions, which may be fixed or fold-away.

The ACOP text in L117 does not cover straddle carriers, pedestrian-operated trucks and non-lift trucks fitted with removable attachments which modify their function, allowing them to be used temporarily as lift trucks, although you must still provide suitable training for those who operate them.

You can use the detailed guidance in L117 as an indication of the standard of training to provide for all lift trucks.

Who should you train?

Potential lift-truck operators should be:

reasonably fit, both physically and mentally, to safely control and operate lift trucks, with the learning ability and potential to become competent operators;

reliable, with a responsible attitude to their work;

physically capable – you should assess this on an individual basis. You may need to get medical advice and make reasonable adjustments to enable some disabled people to work as lift-truck operators. The Equality Act 2010 is likely to apply;

over the minimum school-leaving age (16), except in ports, where they must be at least 18 years old, unless they are undergoing a suitable course of training, properly supervised by a competent person. Children under 16 should never operate lift trucks. Look at www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/index.htm.

Consulting employees

You are legally required to consult all your employees, and listen to what they say, on health and safety matters, including the best ways to provide information and training. Look at Consulting employees on health and safety for more information.

Lift trucks are widely used for moving materials and goods, but they are involved in about a quarter of all workplace transport accidents. The deaths and injuries caused can ruin lives and businesses. Even when an incident does not cause injury, it can still mean costly damage to lift trucks, buildings, fittings and goods.

If you are unsure of your obligations of lift truck training for your employees, contact TM Training Services to discuss your training needs or to book a site health check today.