Opinion FLTA Safe choices
In this month’s Fact File, the Fork Lift Truck Association focuses on three critical factors affecting safe fork lift truck operations.
Managers and supervisors
overseeing fork lift truck operations
are faced with a huge volume of safety-related paperwork, which, ironically, can pose a major obstacle to improving workplace safety and complying with the law. Making the right decisions on vital – but sometimes tricky – safety issues such as these can be a full-time job, without practical guidance.
PUBLIC ROADS
Stay alert: Distractions should be kept to a minimum when working in close proximity to fork lift trucks
There is a popular misconception that if you are just going to cross a road from one site to another, or offl oad a lorry outside on the road, you do not have to register, tax and insure your fork lift truck. That is not true. Much of the confusion comes from a misunderstanding of the so-called ‘thousand-yard’ rule. Current legislation dictates that if a fork lift truck will travel more than 1,000yds on a public road, it must comply with Construction and Use Regulations
and Use Regulations. In most circumstances, it can be driven with little or no modifi cation. In either circumstance the truck must be registered, taxed and insured. Compliance may appear to be relatively simple, but understanding all of the rules, covering items such as excise duty, operator requirements and number plates, is not straightforward. It is best to seek advice from your FLTA maintenance provider.
MOBILE PHONES There are no specifi c regulations governing the use of mobile phones whilst operating fork lift trucks.
The use of hand-held mobile phones and similar devices on public roads is prohibited by law. Workplace environments are no less hazardous, so it is good practice to ban their use during fork lift truck operations. Hands-free phones are generally considered a distraction. While there may be operational reasons for wishing
“Compliance may appear to be relatively simple, but understanding all of the rules is not straightforward”
or have Type Approval. Legal compliance, which could well involve making major modifi cations to the truck itself, may become quite complex and expensive, so should not be undertaken lightly. However, if on the task to be performed the fork lift truck will travel less than 1,000yds on public roads, then there is special dispensation from compliance with the Construction
34 July 2012 Storage Handling Distribution
to communicate in this way, it is not recommended. Such use should be subject to risk assessment.
The use of non-integrated working platforms on fork lift trucks requires careful consideration. Suitable communication between the operator and persons on the working platform is essential. The method of communication to be used will form part of
www.shdlogistics.com
the risk assessment, but it may be that the use of hands- free mobile phones in these circumstances is considered preferable to shouting, or using hand signals.
If hands-free mobile phones are to be used during the course of fork lift truck operations, it would be good practice to ban employees from personal phone calls. Special communication systems are available to assist with activities such as order picking and stocktaking. Mobile phones should not be used for these types of activity.
SMOKING
Under the Smoke-free (Exemptions and Vehicles) Regulations 2007, it is illegal to smoke in a fork lift truck fi tted with a cab.
In addition, there is a legal requirement for such trucks to be fi tted with an international ‘No Smoking’ sticker measuring at least 70mm in diameter. In the case of hire trucks, it would be reasonable to expect that the hiring company would supply trucks with such signs already fi tted.
All enclosed vehicles used by more than one person at work, at any time, must be smoke- free. This is applicable even if those persons use the vehicle at different times, or only intermittently.
Free fact sheets covering these topics, alongside a host of others answering common fork lift truck queries, can be downloaded at
www.fork-truck.org.uk/fact-sheets. ■
www.fork-truck.org.uk
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