The Forklift Truck Association (FLTA) recently highlighted six tried and tested ways to transform your site’s safety. Here is a brief summary:
How-to Videos – To keep fresh the fine details of what the forklift drivers had learned in their training, the Heineken’s Hereford Cider Mills created more than 40 videos on how every forklift task should be performed. The videos were taken on mobile phones and costs less than £100 to implement and they were easily accessible via inexpensive tablets.
Play the Name Game – A forklift truck may cost the same as an expensive car but are generally not looked after well. Dents and damage are a common site even on a relatively new forklift truck. At Heineken’s Hereford Cider Mills, each forklift truck was named and assigned to a team of employees to take ownership of its care. A cleaning station with vacuum cleaners, touch-up paint and cleaning products was set up. Regular competitions were held with rewards for best forklift truck. This resulted in 94% reduction in damage costs.
Pull no Punches – Training to make all staff, including pedestrians working alongside forklift trucks aware of real dangers and thus reducing injury risks. The training programme featured photos of real-life accidents and injuries.
Show Your Hand – Miscommunications plays a significant role in forklift truck accidents and hence FLTA’s safety partner Mentor devised a new campaign “Show Your Hand” using hand signals to communicate clearly even in a busy and noisy environment. As it is non-verbal, it works effectively across language barriers.
Get your Safety Site Essentials – This free on-line course for FLTA members covers the safety basics for anyone overseeing forklift truck operations and includes the standards and working practices that should be adhered to and training and safety awareness for operators.
Stay Informed – Membership of FLTA’s Safe User Group keeps managers and supervisors up to date with best practices and changes in legislation.
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Wallace School of Transport is a fully accredited RTITB company and therefore rest assured that you will receive the best possible forklift training at an affordable cost. If you have any questions, call Wallace Forklift Training on 020 8453 3440, choose option 3 or click here to email us.