Conversions – what they are and when to use them

Conversions – what they are and when to use them

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Conversions – what they are and when to use them

We offer a range of conversion courses, but we’re often asked lots of questions about them, so here are some key pieces of information for you. 

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What are they?

Conversion courses are courses specifically designed for operators that are already certified on one type of equipment and that need training to operate a different type or model.

Because of the similarities between some trucks, a conversion course will allow you to transfer those skills to another similar truck.

Key Benefits of Conversion Courses:

  • Duration: These courses are shorter than a full novice course since operators already have a baseline understanding of safety and operational principles.
  • Content: These courses focus on the unique characteristics, controls, and safety protocols of the new equipment type
  • Certification: After completion, candidates receive a new certificate to operate the new equipment and an updated e-card, detailing this and all previous training
  • Cost: Because these courses are shorter, they are less expensive than a full novice course, so you can increase your skills at a fraction of the price

How do I know if a conversion course is the right option?

‘Conversion to’ course options are not always applicable.  There has to be significant similarities in the skill and knowledge requirements between the truck that an operator is converting from, and the truck that the operator is converting to. In particular, there should be a clear overlap between the two courses’ syllabi.

The candidate’s previous operating experience and aptitude must also be considered when deciding if a conversion course is the appropriate route.

How do I know what other trucks I can train on using my existing certificate?

RTITB have created a Conversion Matrix, which enables us to check equipment types for compatibility with others.  Using the ABA’s (Accrediting Bodies Association for Workplace Transport) Transport Groupings, we’re able to check all equipment types for you and advise on whether you can take the quicker conversion course.

Our conversion courses ensure operators can safely and efficiently handle new equipment types, thus maintaining workplace safety and productivity.

For a full list of all our forklift courses, please visit our website – forklift courses.

We hope this helps answer some of your questions, but if you’re not sure, please just let us know and we’ll find out whether you or your business can benefit from reduced training times and costs whilst upskilling your workforce.

 

Contact us on 01793 975353 or office@keyperformancetraining.co.uk for more information about how we can help or to book your course today.

 

Need more information?

For more information please do get in touch – via our contacts page, email us or just give us a call on 01793 975353

Farm owner fined after roofer’s fatal fall from a forklift

Farm owner fined after roofer’s fatal fall from a forklift

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Farm owner fined after roofer’s fatal fall from a forklift

A Cheshire farm owner has been fined after a man fell to his death from a forklift truck while attempting to repair the roof of a packing shed at his premises in Tarporley.

Denis Thornhill and his company D.S. Thornhill (Rushton) Limited were fined a combined £16,000 after 64-year-old Mark Young was killed at Moss Hall Farm on 1 February 2021.

 

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Earlier this year, both Thornhill and the company been found guilty of breaching health and safety legislation following a six-week trial at Chester Crown Court. The jury cleared 78-year-old Thornhill on a charge of gross negligence manslaughter. They returned to the same court on 11 October 2024 to be sentenced.

During the trial, the court was told that on 29 January 2021, Mr Young, who worked as a roofer, had been asked to make repairs to a roof panel and fix a blocked gutter on the same building. However, as he was walking across the roof, he damaged a second roof panel so a replacement was purchased to carry out an additional repair.

He returned with his son three days later to complete the work and asked to be raised up to do it. Denis Thornhill arrived with a forklift truck that had a potato box balanced on its forks. Mr Young was lifted up inside the potato box to a height of around 16 feet, while his son, who was on the roof, attempted to reposition the panel from above. As Mr Young moved to one side of the potato box, it caused it to overbalance and he fell to the floor sustained serious head injuries.

Although paramedics were called, they were unable to resuscitate him and he was pronounced deceased at the scene.

HSE Inspector Ian Betley said after the hearing: “This was a tragic incident that could so easily have been avoided.

“The forklift truck and potato box were the wrong pieces of equipment for the job and never a suitable platform for working at height. The work should instead have been carried out using a tower scaffold, scissor lift, or a cherry picker.

“In bringing the forklift truck and potato box and using it to lift Mark at height, the company was in control of the work but had failed to implement proper planning and safe execution of it.

“All companies have a legal duty to ensure the safety of workers they employ or who carry out work for them. If that had happened in this case, then Mark’s life wouldn’t have been lost.”

A joint investigation by Cheshire Constabulary and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that on the day of the accident there was no safe system of work implemented for working at height and unsuitable work equipment was used. The potato box did not have the required safety features for a non-integrated work platform and had not been secured in a way to prevent it overbalancing.

Additionally, the forklift truck had not been subjected to a thorough examination at the required frequency and was unsuitable for lifting people and Denis Thornhill was not formally trained in operating the forklift truck. Enforcement action was taken and a Prohibition Notice was served on the company prohibiting further work until a safe system was devised.

Make sure anyone who operates your forklift trucks are properly trained with our accredited RTITB forklift courses.

 

Contact us on 01793 975353 or office@keyperformancetraining.co.uk for more information about how we can help or to book your course today.

 

Need more information?

For more information please do get in touch – via our contacts page, email us or just give us a call on 01793 975353

New MHE Incident Investigation eLearning

New MHE Incident Investigation eLearning

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New MHE Incident Investigation eLearning

We are delighted to be able to bring you RTITB’s new MHE Incident Investigation eLearning course. 

This course is designed to get to the root cause of incidents in the workplace involving Manual Handling Equipment and will give you the confidence to uncover real issues and implement meaningful fixes.

 

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In the event of a Materials Handling Equipment (MHE) incident, your investigations should never just be about ticking the compliance box! When done right, an incident investigation should get to the root cause of incidents, so you can take steps to prevent them in future.

If you’re ready to develop safer, more efficient ways of working by improving your investigations, our new cost-effective eLearning solution is ideal for you.

The new eLearning course is for anyone involved in health and safety and incident investigations. It can also be used to help warehouse operatives, supervisors, Instructors, and lift truck operators to gain a better understanding of investigations.

To find out more about this, contact us today

The advantages of eLearning

RTITB’s eLearning platform enables you to use it anytime, anywhere.  Simply log on to the secure eLearning platform, anytime, to complete the self-paced training in a time and cost effective way.

Modules include:

  1. Introduction to MHE investigation
  2. Human factors in MHE incidents
  3. Root cause analysis
  4. Steps to effective MHE investigation
  5. Identifying risk reduction/control measures
  6. Applying learning

So reduce future risks, support workplace safety, and boost compliance with RTITB Materials Handling Equipment Incident Investigation eLearning now.

 

Contact us on 01793 975353 or office@keyperformancetraining.co.uk for more information about how we can help or to book your course today.

 

Need more information?

For more information please do get in touch – via our contacts page, email us or just give us a call on 01793 975353

How our forklift training supports diverse operator needs

How our forklift training supports diverse operator needs

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How our forklift training supports

diverse operator needs

An estimated 79,000 EU workers left the logistics industry in 2020. And skills and labour shortages continue. For example, a recent search on recruitment site Indeed showed 3,730 forklift operator vacancies.

Candidates are clearly needed to fill these roles, which is making employers look to a more diverse talent pool. As operator candidates change, operator training must adapt too.

It’s estimated that around 300,000 disabled people were unemployed in 2019 and that the employment rate for people with disabilities in 2019 was 53.2%, compared to 81.8% for non-disabled people. This indicates a significant employment gap​. So, there are many differently-abled individuals who could work if adjustments are provided.

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In the past, lift truck operator training has not catered for those with diverse needs, such as physical, developmental, neurological, learning, and sensory differences, or chronic and invisible illnesses or mental health issues. It has often been presumed to be too difficult.

However, at Key Performance Training, we can easily put reasonable adjustments in place for candidates.  Our instructors can discuss reasonable adjustments with delegates, and this helps prevent those with additional needs from being at a disadvantage during training.

How we are widening opportunities for lift truck operators

Our industry’s need for skilled workers presents a unique opportunity; a chance to broaden the talent pool and to create a more inclusive workforce.

With our adapted lift truck operator training, we can accommodate diverse needs. Let’s bridge the employment gap for disabled individuals and others.

Here are four ways that we have tailored forklift operator training to be more inclusive.

Knowledgeable Lift Truck Instructors

The right operator training starts with the right Instructors. Our instructors have awareness of the diverse needs of candidates and part of their training is a focus on reasonable adjustments. This gives our instructors up to date knowledge of how to cater for differences in learners.

The classroom

Reasonable adjustments can be made to course materials and assessments.

For example, for candidates with dyslexia, we can change the typeface of course material or give extra time for assessments for those with certain needs. We might conduct a forklift operator theory test as an oral, rather than a written exam, and some candidates may need additional breaks or rest time.

Classroom assistants may be helpful to support candidates in some cases – either due to learning difficulties or because English is not their first language. Other candidates may be accompanied by a support worker or social worker.

Accessible practical forklift training

Firstly, candidates with mobility issues can access our physical training location. We have all our training on the ground floor and have accessible toilet facilities.

Getting in and out of lift trucks can be challenging for those with mobility issues. Our truck seats have adjustable features for height, tilt, and lumbar support requirements.

Forklift controls can also be modified to support operators with limited hand mobility. We have a hand-operated control for throttle, brake, and other functions, which can help and there are also custom grips available that would help learners with grip strength issues.

Optional extras, such as orthopaedic cushions, can provide additional support for hip and back problems.

Harness technology to promote inclusion

Candidates with reduced vision can be supported by cameras, and proximity sensors, alongside more traditional solutions, such as enhanced mirrors or lighting.

Those with hearing difficulties can benefit from tech too like visual indicator lights for various functions and alerts. Our instructors may also consider the use of signals.

As you can see, with a few minor reasonable adjustments, we can support those who would like to operate a forklift.

If you’re interested in becoming a forklift driver, please see our course here and let us help you into a rewarding career.

 

Contact us on 01793 975353 or office@keyperformancetraining.co.uk for more information about how we can help or to book your course today.

 

Need more information?

For more information please do get in touch – via our contacts page, email us or just give us a call on 01793 975353

Haulage firm fined after forklift operator died

Haulage firm fined after forklift operator died

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Haulage firm fined after forklift operator died

A haulage firm from Oldham have been fined in excess of £85,000 after a forklift operator was killed whilst loading a heavy goods vehicle (HGV).

Ian Dawson, 60, from Rochdale, was loading pallets onto an HGV at Chorlton Express Transport Ltd on 19th November 2020.  Whilst he was doing this, the HGV drove forward, which then impacted the forklift truck, causing it to overturn. 

Mr Dawson was unfortunately not wearing his seat belt and was therefore trapped underneath the vehicle.  He sadly later died from his injuries.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out an investigation and found that Chorlton Express Transport Limited of Meek Street in Oldham, had failed to put sufficient safe systems of work in place regarding vehicle movements, or to ensure that all forklift truck operators were compelled to wear seat belts.

The court heard that, had Mr Dawson been wearing a seat belt, it is highly likely that this would have saved his life.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They were fined £86,710 and was ordered to pay £5,903 costs at a hearing at Manchester Magistrates Court on 17 April 2024.

After the hearing HSE inspector Jane Carroll said: “The failures of this company have left a family without the man they loved.  The importance of wearing seatbelts cannot be stressed enough. The failures meant the company exposed employees, and others, to the risk of being struck or caught by workplace vehicles.

“All work settings that use a forklift truck to load or unload goods, need to consider the risks arising from their use, and implement adequate measures to ensure the safety of those involved in these activities.”

Have your forklift operators been trained in the correct and safe way to operate their vehicles?  Would you be confident that your operators are all wearing seat belts today?

The easiest ways to avoid these tragic incidents is to ensure that your forklift operators are properly trained and your supervisors understand how to manage forklift operations safely.

We can help you with our high quality accredited training courses, ranging from Forklift driving courses to our online course “Managing & Supervising Materials Handling Equipment (MHE) Operations” – please click here to see our full range.

Contact us on 01793 975353 or rachel.gearon@keyperformancetraining.co.uk for more information about how we can help or to book your course today.

 

Need more information?

For more information please do get in touch – via our contacts page, email us or just give us a call on 01793 975353

Retain forklift operators with non-transferable certificates

Retain forklift operators with non-transferable certificates

RTITB Accreditation

Retain forklift operators with

non-transferable certificates

The demand for trained operators is currently greater than the number of candidates available. This makes retaining trained materials handling equipment (MHE) operators a priority.

The recruitment marketplace is competitive, and this has led some companies to become reluctant to invest in accredited lift truck operator training. Not because they don’t want high standards in their team, but because operators could use that qualification to take on a role with another employer.

 

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To tackle this, some companies are choosing to run their own in-house forklift operator training. This does not have national recognition or the backing of an independent accrediting body and is therefore unlikely to be recognised by a competitor that is looking to recruit lift truck operators.

However, there is a better alternative! 

As an RTITB Accredited Partner, we do not have to offer national, transferable certificates.  We have the option to provide non-transferable RTITB certificates. These forklift operator certificates can be limited, for example, for use only with a specific company or site.

This approach can offer a wide range of benefits.

Validation and Compliance

One big advantage of non-transferable training certificates lies in the assurance of compliance. These lift truck operator training certificates come with independent quality assurance through RTITB Accreditation. This shows that the training, examination, and records adhere to specific standards. And most importantly, that the training delivered has complied with relevant guidance, such as the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) ACoP L117 (Approved Code of Practice for Rider-operated lift trucks).

This external validation gives peace of mind, especially if a lift truck incident occurs.

Companies issuing RTITB accredited certificates can be confident that their workforce has the necessary skills and knowledge, as well as meet industry standards. It also standardises the quality of training across the whole company whilst showing that your company is committed to maintaining high standards.

To find out more about why choosing accredited training is the best approach, please click here.

Retain operators and attract talent

Non-transferable certificates can play a pivotal role in retaining skilled forklift operators. Not only because employees cannot take their operator certificate elsewhere, but also because employees are more likely to stay with a company that invests in their professional growth. Showing an employee that you have invested in a recognised, independent qualification often holds more weight than an internal training program.

Likewise, offering RTITB accredited training can be a powerful tool for attracting talent. Potential hires will be drawn to employers who can show they prioritise quality training and that they are willing to invest in this for their team.

Keeping control

Maintaining control is crucial for employers to safeguard their training investments. With non-transferable certificates, lift truck operators cannot request their certificates without explicit employer permission. This prevents any unauthorised use to gain employment elsewhere. Operators who receive non-transferable certificates are also not listed for public search on RTITB’s national operator register website.

So talk to us today about non-transferable certificates and see how we can help you retain your talent and investment.

 

 

Contact us on 01793 975353 or rachel.gearon@keyperformancetraining.co.uk for more information about how we can help or to book your course today.

 

Need more information?

For more information please do get in touch – via our contacts page, email us or just give us a call on 01793 975353

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