The importance of forklift trucks in the workplace is sometimes overlooked or taken for granted. At first glance, the role of the forklift in the warehouse is to transport loads from one place to another, but in reality; the forklift is the warehouse’s secret weapon. The forklift is the life-blood of the warehouse, and is integral to boosting productivity in terms of both speed and capacity.
Forklift trucks increase overall efficiency and storage capacity simultaneously. When you consider that walking speed is around 3 miles per hour, and a forklift can travel at around 6 miles an hour, you can begin to put into perspective just how efficient forklifts are. At double walking speed, the forklift can get more done in less time, even while carrying heavy and bulky loads.
With this in mind, it’s no surprise that having forklifts on site helps to get more done in less time. Workforces who use forklifts become naturally more productive, and in some ways less at risk of injury. Most forklifts can carry thousands of pounds in weight, saving employees from attempting to carry heavier loads than they are able to.
With knowledgeable operators behind the wheel, the products being transported by forklift are also much less likely to get damaged. Manual handling leaves a higher margin for error, but as long as forklift is used correctly; that margin is decreased significantly.
However, the speed, manoeuvrability and capacity of a forklift can quickly become a hazard if the driver is not operating the machine correctly. Up to date forklift training is paramount. Here at Key Performance Training we offer a wide range of forklift training courses, and refresher courses. To ensure that your employees are able to utilise the forklifts in your warehouse as safely and efficiently as possible, give us a call today.
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!
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.
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.
1. We help you to find work after completing a course.
Are you looking to find a job, a better job or a career?
Our aim is to provide delegates with a pathway to employment. By pathway, we don’t mean that we are providing the training and that’s all. We provide a guided pathway. One, where even after the delegates training course ends, we are there to guide them in the direction of employment.
Once completing a course, we will first give you the contact details of the job coaches and employment agencies we work with who will give you the coaching needed to find a job, a better job or a career.
You are then given the option to subscribe to our email newsletters where we send out forklift operator vacancies in Swindon and the surrounding areas. This means our previous delegates are often the first to hear about forklift driver job roles in their area.
With this process we have in place, as well as the increasing demand for operators, delegates are commonly finding work 1-2 weeks after completing a course with us.
2. Trainers with over 20 years of experience.
With any type of training, teaching or coaching the trainer, teacher or coach is the determiner for not only your success but also your experience and enjoyment. Wouldn’t you agree?
At Key Performance Training we believe that our experienced trainers are what takes our forklift training centre from great to EXCELLENT. Many of our previous delegates and reviews state that our trainers made their experience on a course with multiple reviews stating ‘the best trainer I’ve ever had’.
David and Calum both have over 20 years of experience in forklift operating and training. Therefore, they know first hand the potential dangers of operating and the best ways to avoid these risks. Both, share the same goal of minimising these risks by providing training that prioritises safety.
As we believe on any course that the determiner of success is the trainer, we offer FREE taster sessions for potential delegates to come along to the warehouse and meet our trainers. From there, you will hopefully share the same view as us on how friendly, calming and knowledgeable both David and Calum are. Especially for those apprehensive novice drivers, meeting the team in person before a course can make all the difference and calm your nerves before course week!
3. Our Reviews- They speak for themselves!
“Would definitely recommend” ‘Credit for my achievements go to him.’This delegate has never been out of work since completing a course with us!
Are you interested in completing a forklift course to expand your employment oppourtunities?
Are your warehouse looking to up skill or cross-train staff to operate forklifts?
After reading this blog post we hope you choose us as your forklift training centre! To get in contact about the courses we offer or for general enquires contact;
We’ve been keeping busy at the Key Performance Training warehouse. With both of our trainers (David and Calum) being able to teach at the same time in our double arena, more and more delegates are gaining forklift qualifications and unlocking their pathway to employment!
This is our cheerful monthly blog post where we recognise and congratulate some of the delegates who are now fully qualified, excellent operators! So lets take a look back at some of the fantastic delegates who have completed a course and gained their license with us throughout the month of September…
Connor and Bill
A big congratulations to Connor (pictured) and friend Bill who both passed their counterbalance and reach truck novice courses by completing a three day CB novice and then going onto complete a two day reach truck conversion.
Both boys were 19 years old and unsure on their next step towards a career. They came along for a taster session and quickly decided that forklift operating would be a good option and so booked in for a course.
When Connor was asked if he would recommend Key Performance Training, he answered; “Definitely, the instructors and facilities are all good and they give you the names of the agencies so it’s easy to find a job afterwards”.
Paul
Paul came to us as an experienced operator looking to refresh and expand on his skills. He already had experience as a counterbalance operator but needed to renew his license and so completed a Counterbalance refresher and Reach conversion course.
David picked up quickly that Paul was a competent driver who just needed a reminder on the latest legislations and safety procedures that have been updated since he last completed a course.
With no surprise to David, Paul passed with flying colours and is now a fully qualified operator of both trucks!
Artur
Congratulations to Artur who completed and passed his Reach truck conversion course.
The RTITB Counterbalance Lift Truck conversion course is aimed at currently certified lift truck operators wishing to convert their existing lift truck driving qualification and skills to include a counterbalance lift truck.
From completing the course, Artur gained a suitable and sufficient understanding of current relevant legislation, learnt new skills and the best practice of counterbalance lift trucks up to 5000kg.
Terry
Well done to Terry who passed his Counterbalance Novice course. As a novice operator, Terry had no prior experience of lift truck operation but wished to achieve a nationally recognised qualification in the safe and correct use of counterbalance lift trucks.
He was a pleasure to train and took everything on board excellently with a real eagerness to learn.
Now, Terry will have many more opportunities to get back into employment, especially as the counterbalance lift truck is one of the most common lift trucks in use today and are the workhorse of most materials handling operations.
Mike
Mike already had experience operating a reach truck but also wanted to expand his career options and get a license in safe operation of a counterbalance truck. Therefore, he completed a counterbalance conversion course.
Also, Mike recognised that he needed to refresh his Reach license as to follow health and safety legislations, licenses have to be refreshed every three years. He also completed his Reach truck refresher with us in the same week.
We would like to congratulate Mike, not only on his successful completion of the course but also for following the law and sticking with the health and safety legislations to get his license refreshed.
Why train with Key Performance Training?
We can offer RTITB accredited operator training and instruction from fully qualified and experienced instructors and examiners who are able to carry out training to the legal requirements.
This can help the likelihood of accidents and improve safety of operators and pedestrians in the workplace.
All our RTITB courses are held in our Swindon warehouse. If , however you are looking for an onsite course, we can cater to this too.
