Forklifts make the world go ‘round. Don’t believe us? Well, it’s true! Forklifts move pallets across warehouses, onto shipping containers, and in/around your local supermarkets. Without them moving mass quantities of goods would be very nearly impossible. So, it’s easy to see why forklifts are so important to the ‘behind the scenes’ of daily commerce.
One thing to note, however, is that forklifts require specialised training to be able to operate safely. While the UK doesn’t strictly require a license to operate one, it’s still good to offer intensive training for all employees who may need to operate. Here’s why:
– Forklifts Are Dangerous
The single most important reason for having forklift driver training is the fact that forklifts are dangerous. These massive pieces of machinery can easily injure or kill someone if not used carefully. They can be very unruly, and should be treated with the utmost respect.
Where health and safety are concerned, you need to ensure that your employees are fully trained and certified on a forklift. The training will guarantee that they know what they are doing, and have the skills to handle the machine in a safe and effective manner.
– Forklifts Are Difficult
Driving a forklift isn’t as intuitive as it may seem on the surface. This is because they can come with a wide range of form factors, sizes, and steering mechanisms. Many forklifts require you to drive them ‘backwards’ in which steering becomes the opposite of what you might expect from a car–imagine driving a car backwards with a tonne of valuable goods on as your load.
Forklifts can’t be operated safely by someone who simply hops on and hopes for the best. They take time to master, and the individual mechanisms of the machine require a lot of practice to become comfortable with. That’s just one more reason why forklift training is important.
– It’s Your Responsibility
As an employer in the UK, you are required to provide sufficient training for your employees to meet health and safety standards. This includes ensuring that your employees are fully trained on any equipment they might come into contact with.
While it may not be necessarily a legal requirement to have a forklift operator’s license, it is your responsibility to ensure your employees are safe. The onus there lies on you to train and provide refresher training for your employees who operate forklifts. This will keep them, your property, and your other employees safe at all times.
– Final Thoughts
Our team here at Wise Monkey Health and Safety offers health and safety solutions to the people and businesses of West Yorkshire. We can offer you and your employees beginner, advanced, and refresher forklift driver training courses all year ‘round. Contact us today to learn how to ensure your forklift drivers are the best they can be!