Refresher training vital to reduce risk in changing workplace

Day-to-day operations may seem quite different to the pre-lockdown norm. But safety awareness must stay front of mind among your team as workplaces adapt, and forklift refresher training for your operators remains a must.

For those who were due refresher training during lockdown, the HSE granted extensions of three months (with the relevant justification). However, the extension period has now ended, and businesses must be sure to reschedule training.

Regular refresher training, as outlined in Approved Code of Practice (L117), ensures that operators maintain good driving practices, learn new skills (where appropriate), and reassess their abilities. It helps to ward off bad habits and complacent attitudes to safety which can soon spread throughout teams and cause costly accidents and injuries.

Refresher training may be necessary if forklift operators have not used trucks for some time, or site layouts and practices have changed. It is possible that during an extended time away, operators have experienced skill fade, and they need to reacquaint themselves with equipment and tasks before they start their first shift.

Many training providers are able to provide refresher training, while still following social distancing and hygiene guidelines regarding COVID-19. Therefore, businesses that continue to delay refresher training without sufficient justification are at risk of accidents and HSE action should they fail to meet their responsibilities.

Whether you had to pause during the pandemic, or worked throughout, check whether your operators need to refresh their skills to cope with the demands of these ever-changing times.

Stuart Taylor, managing director, Mentor Training

For more information, visit www.mentortraining.co.uk