Safety in the company DNA

Operating a forklift truck or piece of warehouse equipment can be a dangerous activity if not handled safely. Here’s how you can drive a culture of safety. 

People – Driving the culture
Operator Training - Operator training can help make your operation safer and help your operators work more efficiently. As an employer you have a responsibility to make sure that employees have adequate training on all necessary equipment. Make sure you have a structured training programme that covers all areas of driver and site safety.

Personal Protective Equipment - It is an employers’ responsibility to provide adequate and safe PPE, not only for your operators but also people who work around materials handling equipment.

Speed - Warehouse environments are filled with dangers including pedestrians, vehicles and blind corners. There are no defined maximum speed limits for forklifts, as a safe speed for one operation, may not be for another. Carry out a risk assessment on your operation to set a maximum speed and make sure this is communicated to your team.

Mobile Phone - There are no regulations that prohibit using a handheld device whilst operating a forklift truck, unless you are driving on a public road. Put a policy in place that prohibits the use of mobile phones whilst operating a forklift truck and enforce it.

Pedestrians and site safety - As a leader within a business there are a lot of areas you need to consider, but safety on site is the responsibility of everybody and it starts with good communication.

Carry out regular risk assessments on your operation and identify areas for improvement. Make sure both operators and pedestrians follow the site safety rules – make sure they are clearly visible throughout the site.

Product – Suitability for use
Forklifts should be suitable for the task, but also take into account the working conditions and health and safety risks.

When choosing new or used equipment make sure you receive a full site survey from the supplier to identify the best options for your business. If you are buying new equipment, check it conforms to the requirements of European Community law; it must be CE marked and come with a Declaration of Conformity.

Having a safe product at acquisition is only part of your responsibility. You also need to have the right processes and correctly trained people to keep the operation safe and efficient.

Process – Keeping your truck in a safe condition
Both managers and operators need to work together to ensure the truck and the site in which it operates remain safe.

Service and Preventative Maintenance - The best way to keep your truck operating safely and reliably is to have a regular service and maintenance schedule.  Your trucks need to be inspected in line with the number of hours and working environment.

Thorough Examination - If you own or operate a forklift truck, you are required by law to make sure it meets safety requirements. Some insurance companies will carry out an inspection of your equipment, but this may be not cover both LOLER98 and PUWER98. A Thorough Examination accredited by the CFTS meets and exceeds your obligations under LOLER 98 and PUWER 98. For more information visit www.toyotathoroughexamination.co.uk

Daily checks - Make sure checks are carried out at the start of each day / shift to ensure that the truck is in a safe condition to operate.

This can be automated with a system on the truck. But if you don’t have this, you can still provide your operators with a checklist – Toyota has templates available at www.toyota-forklifts.co.uk. Have a process to make sure defects to be reported and the truck is not used until they are resolved.

Toyota’s new guide to operating a forklift truck can also be requested at www.toyota-forklifts.co.uk along with other free safety resources including; manual handling guides, daily checklists and safety posters.