Watch out for flt health and safety issues says Wakefield Skillcentre

Accidents involving fork lift trucks are a regular occurrence in the workplace and account for one fatality on average every six weeks. John Green, managing director of Wakefield Skillcentre, examines the health and safety issues regarding forklifts.

Recent figures show that in the UK alone there are reportedly over 8,000 accidents involving the use of fork lift trucks every year, with an average of one fatality every six weeks. The majority of these accidents are caused by insufficient operator training and can often involve pedestrians walking in or around an area where a folk lift truck is being operated.

One of the most common types of accidents in warehouses and storage facilities is accidents involving vehicles, (particularly fork lift trucks), manoeuvring in a warehouse, as well as people being hit by an object from height.

Clearly, these are sobering statistics and serve as a stark reminder that all businesses need to be aware of the dangers employees face when operating fork lift trucks, especially in warehouses and storage facilities, and ensure that they understand the legal duty of care placed on employers through various regulations, including The Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and The Provision and Use of Workplace Equipment 1998, amongst others.

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, regulation 9b, states that ‘every employer shall ensure that any of his employees who supervises or manages the use of work equipment has received adequate training for purposes of health and safety.’

While most causes of accidents involving fork lift trucks are caused by insufficient operator training, there are a number of other common causes which include:

• Operator error;

• Lack of knowledge, e.g. equipment or environment;

• Poor truck maintenance;

• Inadequate gangways and space;

• Poor lighting conditions;

• Unsuitable premises for using folk lift trucks.

In warehousing and storage facilities, vehicles should be operated carefully to avoid and reduce the likelihood of an accident occurring and particular attention should be paid to the following:

Pedestrian safety

The Fork Lift Truck Association’s key message that “Pedestrians and fork lift trucks don’t mix” is testimony to the fact that approximately two thirds of accidents kill or injure people not operating the fork lift truck. It is therefore important that in warehousing and storage facilities pedestrians and fork lift trucks should be able to circulate safely. Routes around the workplace should be suitable for purpose and where pedestrians and vehicles are likely to share the same traffic route, allowances should be made for separation between them. If at all possible, complete separation should always be the first consideration.

Traffic routes

Any traffic routes should be properly designed and controlled. The routes should take into account the following:

• the vehicle being used;

• the need to minimise reversing;

• avoiding sharp bends and blind corners;

• maintenance of the route, e.g. potholes;

• avoiding steep slopes.

Reversing vehicles

In instances where reversing cannot be excluded through the introduction of a one-way system, pedestrians should be kept out of the area and away from any fork lift truck reversing. Ideally, reversing sensors and vehicle CCTV can help prevent accidents in these situations.

Maintenance

Fork lift trucks must be maintained on a regular basis, with the main lifting mechanisms, for example the chains, forks and tilt mechanism examined by a responsible person. In addition, a company or organisation should have:

• a pre-shift check document;

• an approved system of defect reporting and record of work carried out;

• a planned routine maintenance system;

• a safety regime for each fork lift truck.

Applying the main points outlined above will not be enough in itself, companies must focus on providing operators with adequate training which must be carried out by an accredited trainer or training organisation. This should involve three key stages including basic training, specific job training and familiarisation training.

However, the HSE now recommends that companies introduce regular refresher training for fork lift truck operators ideally every three to five years, to enable individuals to upgrade their skills, eliminate bad practice, renew their safety awareness and gain a current RTITB certificate.

The implications for any company operating fork lift trucks in warehousing and storage facilities are evident. Employers not employing a duty of care in its health and safety processes and procedures face the risk of a serious accident, or even a fatal injury to one of its employees.

With more and more businesses looking to demonstrate their commitment to improving health and safety in the workplace, failure of warehouse and storage companies to provide adequate training for fork lift truck operators can have far reaching implications for all concerned.

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