Grand finalists take shape in Operator of the Year

Day 3 qualifiers were Emily White of System Training, who was announced as the overall winner of the heat by John Clements, Business Development Manager & Counterbalance Product Manager for UniCarriers, and  with the next best score, Matthew Vassallo of Hasbro. Both contestants will move forward to the Grand Final of the competition in early 2017.

During the heats, each competitor was required to complete four assessments – two practical tests (sponsored by DOLAV, Racking & Storage Solutions and Pyroban), a test of the forklift drivers knowledge (sponsored by Transaid), and successful completion of a pre-use inspection (sponsored by TruckLOG). RTITB judges – Nick Welch, Simon Richards, Simon Docherty and Matt Orin – carefully observed and marked the 10 forklift operators, with the driver with the lowest total score being declared the winner. 

The competition, which this year is proudly supported by B & B Attachments, FSDF, UKWA, BACA Workwear & Safety, has been devised by RTITB to acknowledge the hard work and dedication placed by safe and efficient operators throughout the industry, and instil the message of safety to employers across a wide range of industries. One of the most crucial aspects of the four assessments completed by competitors in the heats is the pre-use inspection, and RTITB hope that the competition will help to raise awareness of this vital daily check.

According to the Health & Safety Executive, over 18% of workplace incidents occur as a result of mechanical failure which could be avoided through completion of a pre-use inspection. Furthermore, a pre-use inspection will help to reduce the cost of ownership and contact penalties, increase truck uptime, improve battery life and, most importantly, help to prevent incidents and injuries.