‘Make sure they get home safe’ motto for Safetember

The hard-hitting theme, which will form the headline of National Forklift Safety Month throughout September, is a reminder of the human cost of the 1,300 fork lift truck accidents which happen in the UK each year.

The FLTA’s annual safety campaign, which started as National Fork Lift Safety Week in 2008, has previously been credited for a significant improvement in the fork lift injury toll – but FLTA chief executive Peter Harvey believes there’s more hard work ahead.

He says: “When people go to work, they expect to come back safe. But every single day, five people don’t come home because they’ve been hospitalised – or worse – by a fork lift truck. 

“Often, those accidents have life-changing consequences. And the tragedy is, they’re avoidable; usually, somebody just didn’t take fork truck safety seriously enough. That needs to change – which is why Safetember remains one of the most important things we do.

“So I want to encourage anyone who works with fork lift trucks to visit the FLTA website, and sign up for Safetember updates. We’ll send you everything you need to get your workplace involved.”

One worker who didn’t “get home safe” is FLTA Safety Ambassador Lisa Ramos, who lost her left leg when she was crushed by a reversing fork lift truck.

Lisa endorses the theme, saying: “On 24th March 2006, I wasn’t thinking that I might not get home in one piece; I was looking forward to my son’s 13th birthday party. Suddenly, in one moment, my life changed forever.

“Nobody thinks they’re going to have a fork lift truck accident – but it happened to me, and it happens to five more people every day. ‘Make sure they get home safe’ is such a simple message, but it’s so important.”

National Forklift Safety Month 2018 is sponsored by Windsor Materials Handling, with support from safety partner Mentor Training. Companies can sign up for free Safetember updates here.

Safety Convention

The FLTA’s National Forklift Safety Convention takes part at the Heart of England Events and Conference Centre on Wednesday 3rd October.

War veteran Stewart Hill will draw on lessons gained from the battlefield in Afghanistan, and look at the danger of complacency and will underline the importance of good leadership.

He explains: “Out in the battlefield, with physical and psychological pressures high, the quality of your leadership can determine whether people live or die. 

“You quickly learn that – to stay alive – you need to keep doing the right things that keep you safe. The moment you stop doing that, disasters can befall you… as I learned the hard way.”

Organisational safety specialist Dr Tim Marsh (pictured below) will also join the lift truck safety conversation. He is the founder of Ryder Marsh Safety and managing director of Anker & Marsh and is a world authority on behavioural safety, safety leadership and organisation culture.

The programme sets out a day of real-life case studies, motivational speakers and peer-to-peer networking. With three extraordinary guest speakers scheduled, this year’s event offers an unmissable opportunity to get closer to those helping shape safety culture today. 

Attendees will also have the chance to explore two safe site case studies, including a look at the UK’s largest builders’ merchants Travis Perkins.