Serious Risks Caused by Casual Forklift Training

Recently, the Road Transport Industry Training Board (RTITB) issued a warning against improper forklift training that is increasing the risks of accidents and injuries in the workplace.

Casual Training

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) announced that some businesses were allowing forklift operators to train new staff in-house rather than using a professional and accredited instructor. This is potentially dangerous as these forklift operators may not themselves have had proper instruction, meaning that they are passing along the incorrect practice to the next generation of forklift users.

As outlined in the Approved Code of Practice for Rider Operated lift truck guidance (L117) by HSE, forklift training should be delivered by a fully trained and qualified instructor, and by not complying to the proper guidelines, employers leave themselves vulnerable to prosecution if a workplace accident was to occur based on improper forklift use.

Indeed, in 2013, an improperly trained worker was thrown from a forklift and killed in North Lanarkshire. The employee had no previous experience in driving forklift trucks and received just 20 minutes’ training before being allowed to operate the machinery alone. The employer was fined £24,500 for their safety failings. This is not an isolated case, and details of similar incidents are reported on the HSE website – all of which would have been easily avoided by undertaking professional training by a competent instructor.

Laura Nelson, Managing Director of RTITB, is encouraging businesses to protect both themselves and their employees from potential harm by instead utilising an HSE-compliant professional instructor, or even training an in-house employee to become an instructor. The benefits of undergoing professional training are numerous: heightening safety, improving efficiency, increasing confidence in the workplace, and even increasing margins as less damages are incurred by correctly trained staff.

The Course

A professional training course is readily available across the UK and takes, on average, just 10-12 days to complete. The pass rate in the UK is currently at 80%, and after detailed training, the trainee sits an exam, governed by an impartial body, to prove their skills, which can be used to demonstrate their training at any given time. No previous experience is needed to train an employee in plant operation, but to train an employee to become an in-house instructor, the employee must hold a certificate of Basic Operating Skills which was completed in the last 12 months.

If you need Forklift Training in or around Doncaster, look no further than Euro 1 Training for a fully accredited centre. Euro 1 Training only employ qualified and professional course leaders to ensure that all of our courses are carried out to the highest standard and the individuals who participate in our courses are fully instructed in the proper usage of their chosen plants. Our fully comprehensive courses fully cover the health and safety aspects of using lift trucks and other HGVs. For more information on our courses, contact us here and we’ll be happy to discuss your options in more detail.