Tools for the job

IN RECENT years, changes to the guidelines in conducting the mandatory inspection of forklift and warehouse trucks via a Thorough Examination have been few. 

In complete contrast, changes to the way those inspections are carried out have been massive. And nowhere is that more evident than in the practices and procedures introduced by CFTS, the UK’s fastest growing accrediting body.  

Importantly, these have been introduced specifically to benefit businesses that own and operate handling equipment and their employees. 

At the same time, although the legislation may not have changed, a significant number of employers are still unclear regarding what exactly is required from a Thorough Examination, the frequency with which checks should be carried out, and the circumstances that can affect that regime.

Let’s start with the basics. What’s necessary when carrying out a Thorough Examination? 

Well, as the name suggests, it must be thorough. And that means a LOLER inspection alone is not sufficient. To satisfy the HSE guidelines a Thorough Examination should also satisfy the requirements of PUWER. 

In practice, that means in addition to checking the lifting parts (covered by LOLER) the inspection must cover a host of other components in the steering, braking and traction systems, along with overhead guards, wheels, tyres, seats, etc., in order to comply with PUWER. 

It’s been estimated that more than half the inspections carried out in the UK fail to do that, leaving you as an employer at greater risk of prosecution in the event of an accident.

Timing is everything 

Most materials handling equipment will require a Thorough Examination at least once every 12 months – starting from when it was new – to confirm it is safe to use and in good working order. However, some equipment, including trucks working in highly corrosive/demanding environments or used for lifting personnel, will need to be inspected every 6 months or even more frequently. 

A CFTS-accredited provider can advise on the correct schedule for your equipment and application. Alternatively, you can use the timings calculator on the CFTS website to obtain a good indication.

TIP: In situations where an exceptional event has occurred – such as an impact or overload – an additional Thorough Examination is required before the equipment is brought back into service. The same applies where equipment has been inactive for a prolonged period (as was often the case during the COVID pandemic).

The biggest changes in Thorough Examinations

Without doubt, the most significant changes to ways in which Thorough Examinations are conducted by companies accredited to CFTS has been the use of ever more specialised equipment to not only deliver results that are more accurate and repeatable, but which also offer greater transparency to the customer. 

Here are some of the tools your examiner should be using:

Professional chain wear gauge - While some inspectors continue to use a steel ruler, CFTS-accredited examiners employ a dedicated chain wear gauge to accurately measure leaf chain and roller chain wear. Its ingenious design clearly indicates the percentage of elongation and, in a clear visual display, shows you how close your chains are to needing replacement. There’s no estimating, no complicated equations and no worries that you are being coerced into unnecessary expenditure.

Professional fork wear gauge - Alongside the chain wear gauge comes the fork wear gauge. Launched in 2022, it precisely measures the percentage of wear (between 0-10%) on fork blades, thereby removing the need for calculations. If fork wear exceeds the 10% limit it’s obvious to all that that the offending item must be removed from service immediately. 

Fork wear caliper - A fork wear caliper checks fork angle, fork hooks and fork blade maximum wear (10% and above).

Digital angle protractor and set square - A digital angle protractor and set square measures fork angles to ensure damaged or bent forks do not go beyond manufactured limits (typically +/- 3 degrees).

Other kit carried by CFTS examiners typically includes a harness for working at height, truck blocks to secure equipment, torches to inspect defects, UV torches for crack detection, toe jacks for better access, ratchet straps to secure masts and forks, mast blocks for checking wear on mast pivot brushes and for securing equipment during steering inspections, plus cones or barriers to ensure inspections take place in segregated areas.

These tools are not merely essential equipment though. They serve as a strong indicator of the type of inspection you, as a customer, are likely to receive. If an inspection provider doesn’t come equipped with these items, there is every chance your truck is not being assessed to the very highest standard. 

As a result, defects could be missed, and if left undetected even small things can easily turn into big problems. Components could fail, which could lead to inconvenient and costly downtime while you await repairs, or, in a worst-case scenario, a faulty truck could cause a serious accident.