TRAINING ther boosting profitability.
And, yet, despite the substantial advantages that trained operators bring to a business it is surprising how many warehouse managers or supervisors treat training as an afterthought or just another unwelcome business cost.
TRAINING YOU CAN TRUST
It is important to use forklift operator training pro- vider that is accredited to one of the recognised warehousing and logistics transport training ac- crediting bodies.
The UK has four main training accreditation organisations serving logistics and supply chain equipment operator training providers - AITT, ITSSAR, NPORS and RTITB. In simple terms these accrediting bodies ensure that training providers – such as Toyota – deliver up-to-date and highly relevant courses that are aligned with industry standards that give ‘students’ the knowledge and skills they need.
In other words, training providers who are ac- credited either by AITT, ITSSAR, NPORS or RTITB have demonstrated that they consistently deliver training programmes that surpass the highest in- dustry standards. For instance, this means that they only use registered instructors who are regularly monitored to ensure that they not only possess exceptional knowledge but also have a first-class teaching style.
Naturally, it is easy to become less focused on a task if you have been undertaking the same activity eight hours-a-day, five days-a-week, 52 weeks-a-year for several years.
training of drivers is clearly vital if the risk of an incident is to be minimised.
Forklift operator training has three stages:
Basic training which covers the fundamental skills and knowledge required to operate a lift truck safely and efficiently.
Specific job training to give drivers an understanding of the operating principles and controls of the lift truck – or trucks – that they use and how it will be employed in their workplace; and
Familiarisation training which applies what has been learnt, under normal working con- ditions – ‘on the job’
Basic and specific job training can be com- bined but should always take place away from the warehouse environment, while familiarisa- tion training must be done ‘on the job’, under close supervision.
While there are many issues which will im- pact upon the speed at which everyone learns, courses typically last three to five days. Oper- ators with some experience of lift trucks or rel- evant experience of similar vehicles may need less extensive training than those with no experi- ence, however it should be remembered that an operator with basic training on one type of lift truck or handling attachment cannot safely oper- ate others on which they have not been trained without additional conversion training. Good training not only produces safer forklift operators: skilled operators will also perform more effectively throughout their shift. For ex- ample, throughput efficiency is enhanced while accidental damage to the truck, goods and the infrastructure of the building caused by a care- less operator is reduced. And by driving in a professional way an operator puts less strain on the truck’s engine and other essential compon- ents, so truck downtime is cut and fleet running costs are minimised. A truck that is driven care- fully also uses energy more efficiently too – fur-
But complacency is considered the single big- gest cause of lift truck accidents and if forklift operators are too relaxed deficiencies are likely to creep in to their driving and they may even become slow to notice potential hazards that put themselves and their co-workers at risk. To help avoid complacency becoming an issue and because even the most diligent forklift oper- ator’s skills fade over time, it is hugely important for even the most experienced lift truck operators to be given regular refresher training. While there is no legal requirement for oper- ators to receive refresher training at set intervals it is recommend that they are re-assessed and retrained on key aspects of their job every three to five years to ensure that they continue to operate lift trucks safely and perform at optimum efficiency every day.
Of course, if warehouse managers become complacent about training, they are risking their company’s bottom line profitability and, most im- portantly of all, the health and wellbeing of every person in their team - there are courses for ware- house managers and supervisors too!
Toyota Material Handling
www.toyota-forklifts.co.uk
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