by Richard Colligan | Jun 7, 2023 | Employment & skills, Industry news, RTITB, Training courses
National Forklift Safety Day
Tuesday 13th June is National Forklift Safety Day, and this year’s theme is “Safe Sites Save Lives’.
According to the HSE’s Workplace Fatal Injuries in Great Britain report, published in July 2022, 123 workers were killed in work-related accidents in 2021/22, with around a quarter of these (30) consigned to the Construction sector. The Transportation & Storage sector, which includes Warehousing & Logistics, shows 16 deaths.
The most common fatal industrial accident constitutes falls from height, accounting for 29 of the total number of deaths in the period. The second most common fatal industrial accident involved people being struck by a moving vehicle, followed by people being struck by a flying/falling object, contact with machinery and then trapped by something collapsing or overturning.
The risks associated with such incidents could be reduced if correct risk assessments are carried out, along with improved operator training and supervision, increased use of safety infrastructure and automation.
“Anyone with a stake in this important industry will recognise the importance of keeping workers safe and we hope National Forklift Safety Day will encourage more organisations to audit their safety protocols to ensure they remain compliant at all times” said David Goss, Technical Director of UKMHA (UK Material Handling Association).
Have you or your drivers had adequate forklift training? Do you have records to show what training they have had and that it’s in date? Would you be confident that in the event of an incident, you could provide evidence of that training and that it was sufficient and compliant? Have you had some near misses involving operators driving poorly?
There are lots of training companies and trainers out there offering courses, but the quality of that training can vary greatly. To ensure that any training you invest in is of a high standard and is HSE compliant, then you should use an accredited training company. Our RTITB accreditation ensures that our training is legally compliant, of a high standard and operators only pass our courses if they are competent to do operate.
We offer a huge range of forklift training courses in our centre, or we can come to you to deliver training at your site. Please see our forklift training webpage – https://keyperformancetraining.co.uk/flt-courses-rtitb-forklift-training-swindon-and-nationwide-counterbalance-reach-bendi-telescopic/#
If you want to ensure that you or your organisation are compliant and if you take the safety of those who operate on and around forklift trucks seriously, then contact to us about how our accredited training can help you.
by Rachel Gearon | May 17, 2023 | Industry news, Training courses, Workplace safety
The HSE has fined a company in Birmingham £600,000 after a worker’s leg crushed by a forklift truck.
The man was working for AkzoNobel Packaging Coatings Limited when the incident occurred at the firm’s Birmingham site on Bordesley Green Road on 8 May 2018.
He had been walking across a pedestrian crossing at the site when a forklift truck, being driven by another worker, collided with him, crushing his leg and ankle. The driver did not slow down while approaching the pedestrian crossing and his vision was restricted as the forklift truck was carrying multiple intermediate bulk containers (IBCs).
The injured worker required surgery and skin grafts following the incident.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into the incident found AkzoNobel Packaging Coatings Limited failed to provide an adequate risk assessment nor a safe system of work. There was also a lack of appropriate supervision. This led to the adoption and development of an unsafe custom and practice on site.
AkzoNobel Packaging Coatings Limited, of Wexham Road, Slough, Berkshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £600,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,188.60 at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court on 3 April 2023.
HSE inspector Marie Wheeler said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by the employer adequately assessing the risks and ensuring a suitable workplace transport system was implemented with correct management and supervision in place.
“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”
If you are operating a forklift truck, you need to be aware of the dangers and be adequately trained on how to operate them safely. This includes observing your environment, including pedestrians.
Supervisors and managers also need to be aware of the dangers involved their operation and put adequate measures in place to protect their staff and visitors.
We offer a range of RTITB forklift operator training, as well as an online forklift manager course (Managing & Supervising Materials Handling Equipment Operations), so we can help you remain compliant with the law, and help you ensure your staff are protected from unnecessary and avoidable risks.
For more information about our forklift courses, please click here
Contact us on 01793 975353 or david.gearon@keyperformancetraining.co.uk for more information about how we can help.
by Richard Colligan | Apr 26, 2023 | Employment & skills, Industry news, Our News, Training courses
Did you know it’s Mental Health Awareness week next month?
Running from 15th – 21st May 2023, the week is an annual event, organised by the Mental Health Foundation (the UK’s leading charity on mental health) and the theme for this year is anxiety.
It is designed to encourage us all to think about mental health, tackle stigma, and find out how to create a society that protects our mental wellbeing.
This year, Mental Health Awareness Week coincides with Learning at Work Week 2023, so there is no better time to ensure that you and your business know what to do when someone you know or work with needs your help.
We’re running a Mental Health First Aid course on Wednesday 24th May, which is designed to help employers to provide a positive Mental Health culture within the workplace and to provide learners with comprehensive knowledge on a range of the most common Mental Health conditions and the skills to be able to act should a condition be suspected.
We’re proud to support this cause, because if you’ve ever suffered with your mental health, then you know how important good support is, and good support starts with good training.
For more information about our first aid courses, please see here – https://keyperformancetraining.co.uk/first-aid-training/#
For more information, or to book a course, please contact us on 01793 975353 or rachel.gearon@keyperformancetraining.co.uk.
by Richard Colligan | Mar 1, 2023 | Industry news
Swindon Borough Council have recently fined a multi-national logistics firm from Swindon, after they admitted failing to keep its employees safe.
At a hearing at Swindon Crown Court recently, the company GXO Logistics Services UK, formerly known as XPO, which operates out of the Iceland distribution centre in West Swindon, was fined £125,000 and ordered to pay £80,623 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2 of The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974).
The firm, which employs 130,000 people worldwide – around 700 of which are based in Swindon – was also charged with a RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) offence for failing to keep Swindon Borough Council informed of accidents at its depot.
GXO took over operations of the site in August 2016 and the court heard how the company then assumed responsibility for its safe running.
Sam Jones, representing Swindon Borough Council, told the court how GXO had failed to maintain the health and safety of its staff upon taking over, resulting in a number of accidents taking place in the months that followed.
The company also failed to report some of the accidents to the local authority within the necessary timescale.
The court heard how GXO failed to ensure that risk assessments and safe systems of work were regularly reviewed to manage and control the risks associated with the movement of vehicles and pedestrians in its warehouses.
This failure contributed to an accident on the site on 23 June 2017, which resulted in one of its employees becoming trapped by a cage when it was hit by a vehicle operating inside the warehouse.
His Honour Judge James Townsend in his summing up described the accident involving the employee as “unpleasant” and emphasised that breaches of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 need to be taken seriously. He added that employees rely on their employers to put safe systems in place and that GXO had failed to do so.
Councillor Steve Heyes, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Public Safety, said: “Every employer, no matter how large or small, has a duty of care to its staff and must ensure every single one of its employees is safe within the workplace.
“GXO fell way short of this minimum requirement and I hope this prosecution and large fine serves as a warning to all businesses that they need to take health and safety extremely seriously or we will not hesitate to take action.”
Is your health and safety training up-to-date? Check out our website for some of the courses we offer. Click here or contact us to see how we can help you remain compliant.
T: 01793 975353
E: david.gearon@keyperformancetraining.co.uk
by Richard Colligan | Feb 1, 2023 | Industry news, Training courses
Every business must prepare for a fire because any flame can kill someone and damage a building. The best way to prepare for the worst is to appoint a fire warden (also known as a fire marshal).
Fire Warden Regulations
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 provides the regulations for fire safety in offices. The order applies to all offices, places of business, and facilities like warehouses.
Under the order, each office must conduct a fire risk assessment that lays out every risk it faces. Anyone with control over the office is a “responsible person” who must take measures to reduce risks. But a fire warden or marshal has the authority to make decisions on fire prevention.
Every office with fewer than 50 employees must have one warden. An office with 50 to 100 employees must have two. For every additional 100 employees, the office must add one more fire warden.
If an office covers multiple floors, there must be one warden on each floor. Each shift must also have a martial on duty, and any martial on a leave of absence must be covered.
Keep in mind that fire regulations in Scotland and Northern Ireland are different from the regulations in England. If you have multiple offices throughout the United Kingdom, you need to familiarize yourself with each code of rules.
The government strictly enforces all fire safety regulations. A fire warden who fails to follow through on their responsibility can receive a fine or a prison sentence.
How to Train as a Fire Warden
The best warden to appoint is someone who has served as a firefighter or a first responder. But a company can select anyone, provided they can fulfil all responsibilities of a warden.
A warden should learn how to help determine the cause and spread of a fire. A knowledge of how to care for people who suffered from burns and smoke inhalation is also a very useful skill to have.
In addition to official courses, wardens should study literature about fire safety. They should be familiar with how the technology their office uses can spark or spread flames. They should have a complete understanding of all aspects of fire awareness, such as the hazards associated with a fire.
The warden must achieve adequate training and gain official certification. They then must apply for recertification every three years.
We offer a selection of Fire Safety Awareness courses, to ensure your staff are adequately trained to meet your obligations:
· Level 1 Award – ideal to raise awareness of fire safety in the workplace and what to do in an emergency – 3.5 hours training
· Level 2 Award – ideal for staff who want to become fire wardens / fire marshal’s – 6 hours training
· Level 1 & 2 Combined Award – combined course offering fully comprehensive fire warden / fire marshal training – 7.5 hours training. Please contact us on 01793 975353 or david.gearon@keyperformancetraining.co.uk for more information.
by Richard Colligan | Jan 19, 2023 | Industry news, Our News, Training courses
We’re always being asked what the difference is between the various types of forklifts available for training, so we thought it might be useful to explain the three trucks we have in our training centre and what they are used for, to help you pick the right one for you.
The Counterbalance Truck
A counterbalance forklift truck operates a counterbalance weight design with a weight at the rear of the truck, offsetting the load to be lifted at the front. These trucks are used in many storage, warehouse and distribution systems where they carry out loading, stacking and horizontal transport functions.
The Reach Truck
A reach truck is used in narrow aisle applications, such as warehouses. They are designed to have two outer legs that help distribute the load and a single set of wheels in the back. The wheels are located below the operator, which helps create a tighter turn radius.
The Pivot Steer Truck
The Pivot Steer truck is commonly referred to as a ‘bendi’ or ‘flexi’ truck. The machine is suited to working in tight, narrow environments due to its swing mast, which allows the forks to swing at a 90 degree angle either side of the machine.
We offer novice courses on all of these trucks, but did you know that if you have an existing licence to one, we can offer you a conversion course to the others, which is much quicker and less expensive that a full novice course?
Contact us on 01793 975353 or david.gearon@keyperformancetraining.co.uk for more information.
