Fork lift focus – highlighting advice from the Health and Safety Executive
The safe operation of a fork lift truck takes skill, training and an expert level of focus.
Being a machine, so often used in conjunction with our own Thorworld loading apparatus, we feel that safe, considered fork lift operation is an essential for the function of any relevant warehouse. Used properly, a forklift truck can be an enabling loading bay addition, capable of proving itself invaluable, but used incorrectly or without enough training, the vehicles can be extremely dangerous, contributing to human injury and sadly on occasion, fatality.
The Health and Safety Executive offers valuable, free guidance on how to operate fork lift trucks safely. Downloadable from http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg457.htm, the guidance focuses on ‘operating’, ‘loads’, ‘slopes’ and ‘people’, and advises on what operators must ‘always’ and ‘never’ do within each category.
When ‘operating’, the guidance covers points that include encouraging users to carry out pre-shift checks, wear operator restraints, be observant and travel at safe and suitable speeds; as well as never operating trucks unless trained to do so or attempting to use equipment that isn’t working properly.
Advice on safe operation runs consistently through the guidance, which also details how to ‘load’ effectively; by observing loading limits and using the correct attachments, and never travelling with loads liable to block a driver’s view.
‘Slopes’ are addressed with advice on travel speeds, fork positioning and appropriate tilt adjustments, together with guidance on safe turning, and leaving a truck on a gradient in an emergency.
Keeping individuals safe is of heightened importance, with the ‘people’ section of the guidance advising against carrying passengers, picking up loads if a person is standing near, or allowing people to walk under raised forks or loads. It suggests operators always park on level ground, leave the lift truck with the mast tilted forwards, and when finished always apply the parking brake, selecting neutral, switching off the engine and removing the key; before returning it or other activating devices to a place of safe-keeping.
Following the guidance is not compulsory, unless specifically stated, and operators are free to take other action, however it’s suggested that by adhering the guidance offered by the HSE, companies will normally be doing enough to comply with the law.
Published: 15/10/2018
