By law there is no specific time period when forklift truck operator refresher training should take place. However, most forklift truck training providers recommend refresher training every three to five years. This is just a general recommendation and there are circumstances where forklift training refresher should take place more frequently.
The UK safety standards for forklift operators emphasize the importance of refresher training to maintain safety and compliance. It recommends that the refresher training should not depend on time but on performance and risks involved in any particular task.
In the last two Latest News articles (Another Serious Forklift Truck Accident and
Two Companies Fined Heavily Following Forklift Truck Accidents), we talked about forklift truck accidents causing serious injuries and the hefty fines incurred by the companies involved, plus the disruption to their daily operations. We do not have the information on the training records of the forklift operators involved, but one wonders if the refresher training would have helped. Remember that any investigation by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will involve reviewing the forklift operator’s training records.
Refresher training courses assesses forklift operators’ abilities and ensures that good driving habits are maintained. Where appropriate they will learn new skills. Refresher training will also help:
- the forklift operator who has not driven a truck for a while,
- has developed bad habits/unsafe working practices,
- has had an accident/near miss
- the work environment has changed.
Forklift operators need to be regularly monitored in their workplace by a competent person. Supervisors and managers can be trained to observe and recognise unsafe forklift driving practices and behaviour and also promote and maintain health and safety standards. The performance of the forklift operator may indicate how often the refresher training should take place. Irrespective of their performance certain high-risk tasks such as operating in narrow aisles, difficult terrains, heavy loads and lifting dangerous materials, refresher training should take place more frequently such as every two to three years. Employers must keep detailed records of all forklift truck operator training including when they attended refresher courses.
An RTITB operator certificate/qualification itself never expires, but your registration on the RTITB National Operator Registration Scheme (NORS) database lasts for 3 years.
Your official RTITB NORS registration expires after 3 years and must be renewed by completing a refresher training course.
Many employers require active 3-year NORS registration for compliance and insurance.
Wallace School of Transport/Wallace Forklift Training London, is an Accredited RTITB training provider.
Ruth Wallace of Wallace Forklift Training London says “refresher training is a cost-effective way of ensuring forklift operators maintain their standards and safe work practises”.
Contact Wallace Forklift Training London for all your Refresher Training needs.
Useful Links:
- Managing lift trucks
- Lift-truck training
- Voluntary accreditation schemes for lift-truck training
- Rider-operated lift trucks – L117
Wallace School of Transport including Forklift Training in London is a fully accredited RTITB company with over 60 years’ experience. You can be trained either at your own work site or at Wallace Centre in Park Royal. If you have any questions, call Wallace Forklift Training on 020 8453 3440, choose option 3 or click here to email us.