Why is forklift training so important?
Forklifts are very heavy and big pieces of machinery. Their purpose is to lift large loads from one point to another. It’s probably stating the obvious, but if there’s an accident involving a forklift, there is usually a lot of damage caused. This can incur significant losses to the company involved. In the wrong hands, forklifts can be very dangerous. It requires a particular skill to operate a machine safely.
Unfortunately, injuries do occur when forklifts are in operation. Each year around 1,000 workers in the UK are seriously injured or worse in forklift truck accidents. Investigators have found that some accidents have occurred due to wear and tear as well as the irregular maintenance of trucks. Health & Safety experts have, in some cases, also highlighted that drivers have had little or no training or haven’t been enrolled on training courses at all.
Due to the risks involved, any business owner or any responsible warehouse manager shouldn’t let anyone operate a forklift without the necessary training. At the end of the day, you wouldn’t get behind the wheel of a car without first having any driving lessons. The same principal applies to a forklift truck.
Employers have the responsibility to ensure that employees meet all the requirements needed to operate a forklift truck on their premises. More than ever before, courts are assigning liability to companies and managers who fail to ensure their workers have been trained properly.
Operating a forklift is more complex than most people think. Allowing untrained drivers anywhere near a machine is both unwise and unsafe, so as an employer, don’t do it.
