It is a legal requirement for employers to provide
adequate training to comply with Health & Safety legislation. There are over 7,000 reportable injuries every year involving
lift trucks.
These accidents are usually due
to lack of training, causing suffering to the individuals and creating a heavy cost to businesses with damage to trucks, buildings
and the loads being handled.
Legal Requirements
Several pieces of legislation apply when it comes to the use of a forklift truck and employers and operators
need to be aware of the relevant legislation from the following:
- The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- The Provision and Use of Workplace Equipment Regulations
- Approved
Code of Practice 1999 - Rider Operated Lift Trucks: Operator Training
- The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations
- The Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare
Regulations)
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
HSW Act 1974 Section 2 (1) It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as
is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.
HSW
Act 1974 Section 2 (2)(c) states that - the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary
to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of his employees.
Approved
Code of Practice 1999 - Rider Operated Lift Trucks: Operator Training
Guidance
Note 21: Employers are responsible for ensuring that adquate training is provided for their employees. Employers
should satisfy themselves that any training given covers all aspects of the work to be undertaken and takes account of this
guidance, and in the case of basic training is at least to the standard of the ACoP.
Guidance
Note 23: Employers also have a continuing responsibility to provide adequate supervision and it is therefore essential
that supervisors themselves have sufficient training and knowledge to recognise safe and unsafe practices. This does
not mean that supervisors need full operator training but they do need to understand the risks involved, and the means of
avoiding or counteracting them. Training in health & safety management, risk assessment and safe systems of work
should be considered. Supervisors also need sufficient training to enable them to evaluate the advice of fully trained
and experienced operators to ensure they do not over-ride the operator's advice and reduce safety.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment 1998, Regulation 9 (PUWER)
1)
Every employer shall ensure that all persons who use work equipment have received adequate training for purposes of health
& safety, including training in the methods which may be adopted when using the work equipment, any risks which such use
may entail and precautions to be taken.
2) Every employer shall ensure that any of his
employees who supervises or manages the use of work equipment has received adequate training for purposes of health &
safety, including training in the methods which may be adopted when using the work equipment, any risks which such use may
entail and precautions to be taken.
