by Richard Colligan | Jan 6, 2022 | Employment & skills, Industry news, RTITB, Training courses
Here at Key Performance Training, we have trained hundreds of successful forklift truck operators over the years, which is how we came to be Swindon’s leading RTITB training provider. Our aim isn’t solely to train you up and send you on your way, with us the added value comes from a company with heart who wants to help you on your way to your next career challenge.
So, what are the traits and characteristics of a successful, and safe, forklift driver?
- Communication
The first, and arguably, most important part of being a safe forklift truck driver is communication. This might sound obvious, but it’s not just as simple as speaking calmly and clearly to other members of the team. Forklift truck operating requires forward planning and the ability to pre-empt any problems or pitfalls that may require a change of direction. Clearly communicating mitigates the risk of potential harm to you or your colleagues.
- Observation
Concentration and coordination are great assets for forklift drivers to have. Being able to focus for long periods of time, while using a high degree of hand-eye coordination and accuracy can make all the difference in your forklift driving skills. One brief lapse in concentration is all it takes for a serious accident to occur.
- Diligence
Compliance is a hugely important aspect to forklift driving. Being a diligent member of staff who is able to keep to the required safety standards is a huge must. Cutting corners or skipping steps is a recipe for disaster. Forklift drivers are people who are process-minded and adhere to the rules at all times.
- Adaptable
To drive a forklift truck, you need to be able to prioritise tasks, and change strategy in an instant. Keeping calm under pressure is tough, but if you are able to easily adapt to the various requirements of the job, then forklift driving is the role for you.
- Problem Solving
Assessing distances, angles, weights and load capacities is all part of the daily work of a forklift driver. Again, forward planning is a must; but if you are also somebody who is able to problem solve with ease then this will put you in good stead.
There are many skills that make a good forklift driver, but the above list is a good place to start. No matter your experience, Key Performance Training are here to help. Get in touch today on 07825 333894 to find out more about our training and refresher courses that we have available throughout 2022. We look forward to helping you unlock your career potential and sharing our connections to Swindon’s best employers!
by Richard Colligan | Dec 10, 2021 | Employment & skills, Industry news, RTITB, Training courses
Did you know that there are on average 35,000 serious injuries and 85 deaths each year as a result of poor safety whilst operating a Forklift Truck? This frightening statistic shows just how dangerous these 4,000kg machines are, especially when those operating do not have adequate training.
However, the majority of these accidents are preventable when both operators and supervisors become aware of the potential hazards and know what they can do to reduce the risks. This is where we come in! Below, are the top 4 major FLT hazards and what you can to do avoid them.
1. Obstacles
Obstacles obstructing the operators view is a hazard that may seem obvious but way too many accidents happen as a result of an untidy warehouse. Some possible obstacles in a warehouse include; pallets, stocks, pipes, poles and barriers.
To significantly reduce the chances of an accident, operators and supervisors need to ensure they are checking for any obstacles that could impede the forklift before and whilst operating. Either by moving these potential obstructions or simply being aware of them, the chances that they will cause an accident, massively decreases.
2. Forklift overturning
Overturning is the leading cause of serious fatalities and deaths when operating a forklift. In fact, overturning is responsible for 25% of accidents.
Turning or stopping too quickly, an unbalanced load, loads that are too heavy or high along with uneven and wet surfaces are all possible causes of a forklift overturning.
The best way to prevent these accidents is adequate training that includes; which surfaces trucks are designed for, at what point the truck becomes ‘overloaded’, speed limits, securing a load and more. However, if an accident does occur where the forklift overturns the operator should NEVER try to jump out of the vehicle and instead brace themselves against the back of the seat and hold on firmly.
3. Attachments
Attachments can be a hazard for several reasons as a change in maintenance, capacity and adjusting to different types of attachments can all cause potential hazards. The main hazard occurs when attachments are subject to poor maintenance. Stretched chains, worn out forks and other run-down areas all increase your risk of injuries.
4. Blind spots
A blind spot is when the operator cannot see past something that is blocking their view. Some common situations when this is likely to occur are; when weather conditions are poor, the lighting of the warehouse is insufficient or the forklift has a full load.
To reduce the risks, employees should direct pedestrians or other employees away from potential blind spots or, if possible, block off the whole area. If this cannot be done, drivers should have a ‘spotter’ when maneuvering around blind spots.
A dangerous hazard that could arise from blind spots is workers being struck or crushed. Having a traffic management plan where for example workers follow a one-way system or barriers are put in place is as good way to avoid this issue. In the instance that this does happen however, then immediately call 111.
What next?
Does your warehouse/organisation want to make sure you have the best level of training to avoid, prevent and deal with incidents when they occur?
Key Performance Training should be your forklift centre of choice! Based in Swindon but covering all of Wiltshire and surrounding areas, we offer forklift training in the optimum standard and that prioritises safety in the workplace.
Contact our Head Trainer David Gearon today; David.gearon@keyperformancetraining.com
To reduce the risks, the operator and supervisors should have a full understanding of the capacity limits and safety protocols on each individual attachment used. Also, before starting a job, the truck should be thoroughly checked to ensure everything is safe and not worn out.
by Richard Colligan | Nov 26, 2021 | Employment & skills, Industry news, Training courses
Did you know we offer First Aid Training Courses?
Before we tell you more, it is important to understand the benefits that First Aid Training can have on an organisations and its employees. Below are 4 of the main benefits, however they do not stop there, the advantages are endless!
1. First Aid Training Saves life’s.
Do you and/or your company want to be completely prepared to deal with any incident in the workplace?
If the answer is yes, you are on the right track to safety!
This could be the most self explanatory benefit for most, but often individuals and companies underestimate the impact that First Aid Training has on the reduction of serious incidents and even death in the workplace.
2. Cost effective
Some may neglect adequate First Aid Training due to unwanted costs that may seem ‘pointless’.
However , when you begin to realise that the cost of a course is nothing compared to the damage caused for the company and loved ones when there is an accident or death in the workplace.
3. Increases workplace morale.
This may seem like a surprising benefit of First Aid Training but it is actually proven to boost morale in companies for several reasons, including;
- Makes employees feel they are cared for by their organisation.
- Helps employees look out for each other which will bring them closer.
- Learning skills that can also be used outside of work makes employees feel they have accomplished more in their role.
4. Keeps employees safe outside of work.
The skills you learn in First Aid Training are for life and can be used in a variety of different scenarios- in and out of the workplace.
You never know when a serious situation will arise and having the confidence that your employees will be able to deal with this in the most effective way is great for any company who care about there workers.
Interested to find out more?
The courses that we deliver in partnership with Tactical Tuition UK are designed to be informative, fun and engaging. Our aim is to create an optimum learning environment , with out First Aid training courses being run in-house, at your workplace or at a location that suits you.
Regulated by Ofqual, under their Regulated Quality Framework, accredited by the FAA and FutureQuals – our courses provide accountable, quality assured, practical knowledge, backed up by real-world experience from our trainers.
For more information please contact;
david.gearon@keyperformancetraining.co.uk
by Richard Colligan | Nov 15, 2021 | Employment & skills, Industry news, RTITB, Training courses
One of the most common questions we get asked is; ‘Which course would be best suited for me?’. This is a question our trainers LOVE to hear as it shows you are dedicated to getting the most out of a course. The more dedicated to learn you are, the better your chances of starting your pathway to employment.
It is crucial that we get a full understanding of your experience and your aspirations from a course for many reasons;
- You are happy with the speed and detail of the course.
- We can put you on a course with delegates who are at a similar level/experience to you.
- Avoid last-minute changes where we decide to move you onto a different course.
- You leave the course happy that the qualification you gained will be useful in your employment journey (leads you to find work, a promotion or just to meet safety regulations in a current role).
Are you wondering that exact question of ‘Which course should I do?’ Below is questionnaire for you to get a rough idea.
Experienced Courses;
So now we can ask you, what course should you do?
- Novice Courses;
- Brief Description-Our RTITB Reach or CB novice courses are for those with little or no experience operating forklifts.
- Duration- 3-5 days
- Price- £650+VAT
2. Experienced Courses;
- Brief Description- Our RTITB Reach or CB experienced courses are for existing operators with some previous experience but who have not had the benefit of adequate, formal lift truck training.
- Duration- 3 Days
- Price- £400 + VAT
3. Conversion Courses;
- Brief Description-Our RTITB Reach and CB conversion courses are aimed at current certified lift truck operators who are wishing to convert their current driving qualification and skills to include a different type of truck.
- Duration- 2 Days
- Price- £285+VAT
4. Refresher Courses;
- Brief Description- Our RTITB Reach and CB refresher courses are for those operators with documentary evidence of basic training and who wish to renew their certification to use a CB truck.
- Duration- 1 Day
- Price- £140+VAT
Still undecided on which course is for you? Head over to the ‘course content’ section of our website to find out some more details about what each course entails.
by Richard Colligan | Oct 22, 2021 | Employment & skills, Industry news, Training courses
Cross- training employees can be a catalyst to a huge improvement in workforce productivity of any business. Here are the 5 main benefits of cross-training in the warehouse sector, however the advantages do not stop here, they are endless!
What does it mean to cross train an employee?
Cross-training is building the skills of your employees so that they can work in several different roles and carry out tasks even if they aren’t part of their main daily responsibilities. As a result, you, as the employer, can increase productivity in the workplace by making the maximum use out of the latent talents and skillsets of your employees.
For example, when summer is approaching and people are rushing into travel agents to book their last-minute holidays, if employees who usually handle telephone customer service enquiries are also trained to handle walk-in customers, then the travel agency will be more able to handle the increased demand.
Similarly, in the warehouse sector if someone in your team who usually works in production work could also operate forklift trucks you could move them temporarily to the loading team if there is a spike in demand. This prevents orders falling behind and increases the overall efficiency and effectiveness of your team.
Cross-training, specifically in the warehouse sector, is something that gets spoken about more than it is actually implemented. What is the main reason for that? Because people are simply unaware of the multitude of gain generated from this method. Hopefully after reading this blog post, you will be part of the percentage who are aware of the benefits, and will be tempted to use that knowledge to your advantage!
1. Great return on investment
The key to cross-training making a great return on investment is realising that the talent you are trying to outsource is most likely already within your business. Once you’ve had this realisation and act upon it, you are likely to see ways to boost to your bottom line.
2. Improved employee retention
A study conducted at the university of Warwick via Forbes found that on average, happy and engaged employees are 12% more productive than their unhappy counterparts. Cross-training has a significant effect on individual employee happiness because with a broader range of skills employees will feel as though they are being invested in and in return will become more engaged. Continuously focusing on the skillset of your existing employees rather than trying to recruit new employees with prior qualifications, will keep long term employees more committed to stick around.
3. Reduced impacts when employees are absent
This is a fairly straightforward benefit but often people do not realise the extent of a positive impact having cross-trained employees can have when absence occurs. For example, if your business has 10 employees and each of them have a total of 25 holidays per year that would be a total of 250 days a year where at least 1 person’s list of responsibilities are not getting completed. Does that sound efficient to you?
When your work-force is “cross-fit”, you will be able to substitute somebody from a less busy shift or a different sector who has the knowledge to cover for the absent employee. As a result, a significant increase to the number of responsbilities and tasks that are being completed will arise and the productiveness\output of the company will expand.
Ideally, even in a small company, you would have three people or more who could do any single job – even if only to ‘hold the fort’ professionally for a shift or a day. There is a direct link between the competency of your people and the confidence your customers have in you as a supplier.
4. Better employee collaboration
There are two types of employees. Those who have just expertise in one area (not cross-trained) and those who have expertise in one particular aspect but also still have a broad knowledge of other aspects in the company (cross-trained). When you are the non-cross trained type of employee you are hyper-focused to that one particular area and therefore find it difficult to collaborate with those in other sectors of your company.
Good collaboration is crucial within a company as it allows you and a team to solve problems together, speeding up the process of finishing a task and avoiding breakdowns in communication.
5. Makes your company more agile
The actual process of cross-training employees may reveal areas of strengths and weaknesses in employees. Throughout the on-the-job-training hidden talents and strengths may be revealed that means people would work better in another area or field of the business. You can then change people around accordingly. This makes your company more agile and responsive to change as-well as increasing flexibility when needing to fill last minute absences.
Being an agile company has a range of benefits such as more resilience, quicker decision making, more collaborative and also quick mobilization.
How Key Performance Training can help your business with cross-training
Key Performance Training based in Swindon and RTITB Approved, can unlock your potential with novice, refresher, experienced courses in Forklift Training, First Aid, Health and Safety and Fire Marshall Training, amongst others, at regular times throughout the year in a specifically designed training centre or on-site at your own location if you prefer. From individual training to large scale corporate roll outs.
For more information email us at mia.davies@keyperformancetraining.co.uk
by Richard Colligan | Sep 23, 2021 | Employment & skills, Industry news, Training courses
No matter if you’re working in a warehouse as a forklift operator or an office as an administrator, there are always possible dangers. You need to be aware of them and act immediately to ensure the safety of yourself and other colleagues. When I say ‘aware’, I don’t mean this lightly. There is a huge difference between being aware and being actively aware. Being just ‘aware’ often leads to situations where it’s too late. When you are actively aware you can spot an issue and resolve it quickly before an incident occurs.
Safety professional and coach for better risk management strategies- David Gant took to his twitter to ask his large following one question.
“What is the one piece of safety advice you would give to a worker?”
The responses were excellent with so many acknowledging how dangerous working in warehouse environments can be and having safety as their number 1 priority when at work. We want to share this advice with you in hope that it will help at least one person change their mindset on the importance of safety at work.
- “Don’t do a job that you aren’t qualified to do, and do the jobs that you are qualified to do according to the process”.
More commonly than you would think, warehouse managers and supervisors cut corners and allow unqualified workers or those without refreshed licenses to operate forklift trucks. This is when accidents will occur. Even if you have been given permission to operate a truck this does not mean it is safe and as many experienced operators would tell you; it’s never as easy as it looks.
- “Would you let your most loved one ‘be there’ ‘do that’ ‘take that chance’. If it’s not good enough for them; it isn’t good enough for you! You are important to them too”
Every time you get on the truck without inspecting, walk round a corner without making yourself known, drive too fast to get a job done or become complacent in any way, think to yourself; would I be happy for the one I love most to do what I am doing? If the answer to that question is no, don’t do it. It really is that simple.
- “You can’t just talk the talk, make safety a priority.”
Now a piece of advice for all managers and supervisors; the costs of accidents that could occur due to a lack of safety are never worth the time saved by not putting in place and adhering to safety measures. Read that again.
- “Never walk past an error”
We all make mistakes and not everyone is going to be thinking of safety every second of the day. In your workplace, you should first work together and encourage one and other to make safety an individual number 1 priority. You should then work together to encourage each other to make the safety of others a second priority. This way, even if the individual isn’t on their safety ‘A game’ there will always be back up to correct their errors.
Important- you should never assume that someone is going to correct your errors and act at all times as though you are in complete control of your own and everyone else’s safety.
- “If you aren’t sure it’s safe, it probably isn’t”
1. Trust your instinct.
2. Double check.
3. Report it.
Finally, here are a checklist of questions you should ask yourself;
- Will doing it this way get me home safely?
- Do I need to have a break to prioritise safety?
- Would I let my loved ones take this chance?
- Am I following the companies safe work procedures?
- Is safety my number 1 priority?
Key Performance Training are a forklift training company based in Swindon who also cover areas around Wiltshire and the South west. As an RTITB accredited centre, safety is genuinely a number one priority of the business and all delegates who complete a forklift training course should also take on this mindset.
For any enquiries get in contact;
Email- mia.davies@keyperformancetraining.co.uk
Phone- +447570 899000
