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.
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?
Am I concentrating 100%?
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.
Although lift trucks are safe machines, every day workers are injuring themselves due to unsafe operating. Even those who have had the highest level of forklift training find themselves in crucial accidents as a result of getting too comfortable and loosing concentration.
As an RTITB accredited training company, safety is our number 1 priority and we hope that after completing a course with us it will be yours too. At Key Performance Training, we believe that the first step in avoiding mistakes is to be aware and educated on the possible mistakes you can make, especially the most common ones.
Here are the 4 most deadly mistakes you can make when operating a forklift truck. However, all it takes is one mistake; so don’t let it be you.
1. Driving with an elevated load
Many experienced operators believe they can get away with driving the truck with an elevated load and so do not bother to lower the forks. This is a huge mistake to make and is one of the most common causes of fatal injuries and deaths in forklift operating.
When the truck has a higher centre of gravity, it becomes much less stable meaning one fast turn can cause the truck to tip over and potentially crush the driver on its way down.
Reminder- if you do find yourself in a situation where your forklift has overturned you should always lean in the opposite direction to the way the truck is tipping rather than attempting to escape before the truck overturns.
2. Not inspecting the forklift truck
Inspections need to be a thorough procedure that is carried out each time the forklift is used. It only takes a matter of minutes but could potentially save lives. Some of the areas that should be a part of your daily inspection include; the tyres, brake and transmission fluids, loose parts or leaks, instrument and pedals.
Check out our other blogs for more in detail information about the importance of carrying out pre-op checks and the ones that are often forgotten.
3. Operating with a non- secured load
Non- secured loads are just an accident waiting to happen. Many operators are aware of the consequences but carry on risking it and don’t secure loads before operating. Yes, at times you could get away with it and yes your friend may have gotten away with it but when it goes wrong it won’t be you suffering but someone else in your workplace who has been struck by this load due to your negligence.
4. Blind spots
Blind spots in busy warehouses are something that is impossible to avoid, the actual mistake here is a miscommunication between workers. Not only are forklifts dangerous for the operator, they also cause great danger to other works and pedestrians. The best way to avoid this is by maintaining good communication at all times.
As workers in a warehouse, you need to be sure to follow the correct safety procedures, signs , signals. As operators, you need to enable the workers to follow these procedures by making sure your sound and light signals are working before moving and also that you are staying within the zones.
We’ve been keeping busy at the Key Performance Training warehouse. With COVID restrictions easing, we have been able to work at double occupancy; which means twice as many delegates can gain their license and unlock their pathway to employment! David and Calum worked hard on updating the warehouse so that we could have two sections for separate courses and the two of them have been busy ever since.
As we have entered a new month and summer is coming to an end, let’s take a look back at some of the successful delegates who have completed a course and gained their license with us throughout the month of August.
Amar Goes
Amar already had a Counterbalance truck license but wanted to expand his employment opportunities even further. He booked in and completed our Reach truck conversion course with an excellent pass rate.
He was also one of our first ex-Honda associates who completed a course with us since the closure of the Swindon Honda site. Our main aim as a business is to help delegates find a pathway to employment which is why we are offering discounts to all ex-Honda employees in a hope to get them back into employment as soon as possible.
Jackson and Francis:
Congratulations to Jackson and Francis who both completed and passed their Counterbalance truck refresher courses. Not only is it great that they did well and was successful on the course but it’s great to see delegates following the law and making sure to refresh their license every 3 years.
If you gained a forklift license over 3 years ago, then this is your sign that it needs to be refreshed if you are still operating or using forklift trucks.
For more about hazards that could occur if you do not refresh your license: https://keyperformancetraining.co.uk/these-beasts-are-of-great-assistance-and-dangerous/
Jack:
Jack completed his Reach and Counterbalance truck courses with us. For a delegate who wants to learn how to operate both trucks we put them onto a reach novice course for 3 days and then a conversion Counterbalance course for the last two days.
Although Jack is one of the youngest delegates we have trained (age 16), he absolutely smashed the course with an amazing pass score on both the theory and practical.
To check out some of jacks lift truck steering skills head over to our Instagram: @key.performance.training
Andre Gooden:
Andre was very successful in his Counterbalance novice course and went from someone who had never operated a forklift before to a confident driver in only a few days!
Often, delegates who come in for a novice course are very apprehensive and nervous that they may not succeed. If you are one of those people who is letting nerves put you off starting your career as a FLT driver, we can assure you that our trainers are qualified and experienced in working with delegates at all levels. With both our trainers having over 10 years in the industry, the chances are you won’t be the worst they’ve seen!
What are you waiting for? Book in for one of our forklift truck courses and perhaps you could be featured on next months blog!
According to the UK health and safety executive almost one in five lift truck accidents occur as a result of mechanical failure, which could be avoided through correct pre-inspection completion. Inspecting a forklift before operating will only take a short amount of time but could save you from severe injuries and accidents. With all heavy equipment or vehicles, a complete inspection is the best way to make sure equipment is ready for use and all systems are working efficiently. Warehouse managers and employers should always get damaged or broken equipment immediate repair to ensure the safety of workers.
At Key Performance Training, we ensure all of the delegates who complete a course with us know and understand the importance of inspecting the lift truck before operating and that going forward into employment they carry out all safety procedures to the RTITB standard.
Below are 5 of the most important pre-checks to conduct before operating, however the list doesn’t stop there!
1. Tyre inspection/check over
Tyres provide grip for movement, friction for braking and suspension for safety and comfort. Before operating any forklift you must check that the tyres are in perfect condition as the wrong tyres or excessively worn ones can be a dangerous and expensive risk.
When inspecting the tyres there are two crucial aspects to ask yourself:
Is there any visible damage to the tyres such as cracks, tears or bulges?
Do they have a sufficient thread depth? (You can check this with a simple gauge whilst referring to manufacturer’s handbook for specific thread depth required for the truck you are operating.)
2. Checking the breaks before moving the forklift.
Insufficient or worn-out breaks are the cause of many serious forklift accidents. As an operator, you need to be sure that if a hazard gets in your way not only are you ready to break but the breaks are also ready to break!
To carry out an inspection\test of the brake you first need to press the footbrake checking for downward pressure whilst ensuring the handbrake is applied. Then, repeat with the handbrake released to compare the level of pressure in the brake pedal. If the pedal goes to the floor, this could mean there is an issue with the brakes that could cause a risk for you as the operator.
3. Checking how the truck moves.
Before attempting to carry any load, the operator should be sure that the truck is moving as it should. To carry out this check the operator will need to engage the reverse gear (whilst carrying out safety checks by looking over both shoulders), release the parking brake and slowly move off; checking that the lift truck moves off with ease and as normal.
The operator can also use this as another opportunity to check the brakes by accelerating and then pressing the foot brake to ensure that the lift truck comes to a complete stop.
4. Checking for leaks after having removed the lift truck.
After moving off, operators should check that there is no signs of leakage where the truck was previously parked. If you do find any leakage it could be engine oil, water , electrolyte or hydraulic oil. In an incident where you find any evidence of leaks it’s best to immediately dismount the vehicle and stop operating.
We would also advise you to report any leaks to the management so they can solve the issue so no other operators are at risk.
5. Clutch and gearshift check.
Like a car, many issues can arise from a worn-out forklift clutch or gearbox; doing a quick check of both will maximise your safety.
Any signs of jumps or jerks when changing gear should not be ignored and instead means you should stop operating and report instantly. A safe to operate truck will shift gear smoothly and with ease.
At Key Performance Training, our aim is to provide delegates with a pathway to employment and help them find a job, a better job or a career.
In Swindon and the surrounding areas there are many job opportunities and a demand for Forklift Truck operators meaning that employment is easy to find after completing training. We see ourselves as the stepping stone between a delegate and their future in employment.
Below are the 4 steps towards the pathway of employment.
Step 1- Free Taster Session: Our free taster sessions or ‘Forklift Fridays’ are an opportunity for potential delegates to come along to the warehouse and find out more about the courses we offer. The session is up to two hours and includes demonstrations, information sheets, having a go on one or both trucks and also being given a chance to ask questions to our highly experienced trainers.
We want to be sure that all delegates are committed to a course before booking so we will always give feedback to either the delegate, the company or job coaches as to whether they are likely to succeed.
Step 2- Training: The duration of training can be anywhere from 1-5 days depending on the type of course, your level of experience and the delegates:trainer ratio. In all FLT courses there are elements of both theoretical and practical training that need to be completed before test day. At the end of the training you will be given both a theory and practical test that will be completed in a non- pressurised environment. Don?t worry though, as our trainers will make sure you are 100% ready before putting you in for the test and have the skills to put you at ease beforehand.
Step 3- You have your license: Successful learners will be presented with an RTITB approved certificate and photo ID card and will also be registered onto the RTITB National Operators Register Scheme database of approved forklift truck operators (NORS) for 3 years. We will then put you in contact with local employment agencies that can help you find work and also keep you updated on any new job vacancies that come up in the local area.
Step 4: Finding work- There you have it, you have now unlocked your pathway into employment! Often delegates find work 1-2 weeks after completing a course with us and although it is not certain you will find work straight away we always make sure you are the first people to know about any new job vacancies.
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