by Bob Hayward | Mar 12, 2021 | Employment & skills, Training courses
Know where the Hazards Are to Avoid Them:
It’s important that all operators know the area they will be driving in well, as an unseen bump in the road can cause the vehicle to tip and result in, as well as damage to the vehicle.
- Be aware of ramps, lumps, bumps, slippery ground and uneven surfaces
- Avoid any loose materials, objects or flooring
- Know the layout, the designated routes, the junctions, the narrow sections, low ceilings, the ways in and out of loading bays, any special racking, and all exclusion zones
- Operators must be reminded of site rules, speed limits and safety guidelines frequently
High Quality Training
This is not just a sensible choice, but a legal obligation. As an employer you must ensure that their team are given all the training they need to safely and legally operate a forklift and keep themselves, their workmates and visitors to your site safe and protected from harm.
Operators who have received a training certificate, like that from the RTITB, and have been trained to operate each specific type of forklift should only be allowed to operate one.
Trained forklift operators will know how to do the job safely. They will have had to demonstrate that in a workplace or training arena evaluation by an accredited instructor.
Know the Common Forklift Hazards
Know the Stats. It’s important to know the dangers that come with using forklifts on loading docks and in warehouses. Keep these statistics in the forefront of everyone’s mind by discussing some of them in team meetings or daily huddles occasionally.
Remind operators of the most common hazards associated with forklifts.
- Unsecured loads may fall, crushing pedestrians or drivers.
- Forklifts may tip over, due to excessive speed, tight cornering or imbalanced loads
- Workers may fall if they stand on the forks
- Drivers may not see pedestrians, leading to collisions and fatal accidents
- Improper or missing floor marking may lead to accidents between forklifts and pedestrians
Stay Safe While Using A Forklift
Workers should do the following while behind the wheel to protect themselves and co-workers:
- Make sure the load is balanced and fully secure to prevent a forklift from tipping over
- Ensure both forks are as far under the load as possible before lifting
- Check for any overhead obstacles before stacking upwards
- Use ropes, straps and bindings to properly secure loads
- Do not overload the forklift
- Do not push a load with the forks
- Never exceed the maximum capacity of your forklift or attachments
- Always check the load carefully before moving off
- Drive with the load as low as safely possible
- Pay attention to posted speed limits and warning signs
- Always look in the direction you’re traveling; if a load blocks the view ahead, travel in reverse
- Steer clear of areas where forklifts are prohibited or restricted
- Keep an eye out for signs, floor marking, and other warnings for pedestrians and forklifts
- Use the horn at intersections and in areas where pedestrians may be present
- Facilities of any size should have clear forklift safety rules
- Provide high-viz workwear and the proper PPE for all staff entering the warehouse and wherever forklifts operate
These are just a few tips that will help you keep your workforce safe and ensure you get the most from your equipment.
For further information about high quality training – please contact us on 01793 975 353
by Bob Hayward | Mar 1, 2020 | Our News, RTITB, Training courses
In support of International Women’s Day on the 8th March, Key Performance Training are running a competition
1st Prize = Free Forklift
Novice Course worth £750
2nd Prize = A Free
Conversion Course worth £300
3rd Prize = A Free
Refresher Course worth £150
The theme
for the 2020 International Women’s Day campaign is #EachforEqual. An equal
world is an enabled world.
How to enter the competition
Take a photograph or selfie in front of a forklift truck with your arms in the position shown and add it to your social media account. This can be on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or LinkedIn. Remember to use ALL THREE hashtags #IWD2020 #EachforEqual #KPT and tag the relevant Key Performance Training Account on that platform, or that of David Gearon or Bob Hayward.
How the winner will be decided:
The winner will be the person whose social media post gets the most likes and shares. The photograph must be of the person who owns that social media account, they must have their arms in the position demonstrated, the post must contain all three hashtags and tag Key Performance or one of the two owners.
Why are
we doing this?
At Key Performance Training, we are choosing to challenge stereotypes, broaden perceptions, and seek to be a pathway to better equal employment opportunities.
In the last two years, only five of the 80 delegates who have become qualified forklift operators through Key Performance Training were ladies. There is no reason for forklift operating to be the preserve of our male colleagues. There is no reason that anyone, male or female, must be big, strong or bulky to operate a forklift. The fact is that Forklift Trucks are just as suitable for men and women to drive as are cars.
A career as
a Forklift driver is an underrated profession and often overlooked by women who
may not recognise the high demand for Forklift operators. Anyone over 16 can
drive forklift truck and earnings are above average for warehouse and logistic
roles. Forklift driving can be a great pathway into better employment for
everyone #EachforEqual
For more information contact Bob Hayward at bob.hayward@keyperformancetraining.co.uk
by Bob Hayward | Feb 28, 2020 | Employment & skills, Our News, RTITB, Training courses
The International Women’s Day 2020 campaign theme is #EachforEqual. An equal world is an enabled world.
At Key Performance, we are choosing to challenge stereotypes and broaden perceptions. We seek to be a pathway to better equal employment opportunities.
Anyone over 16 can drive a forklift truck. As the career employment opportunities are plentiful and earnings above average for warehouse and logistic roles. At £21,000 to £23,000 forklift driving can be a great pathway into better employment.
In the last two years, only five of our 80 trainees were ladies. These 80 delegates became qualified forklift operators through Key Performance Training and the vast majority went straight into paid work. This number, five from 80, is obviously not proportional to the population of people working in the logistics and warehousing industry. And yet there is no reason for forklift operating to be the preserve of our male colleagues. There is no reason that anyone, male or female, must be big, strong or bulky to operate a forklift. The fact is that Forklift Trucks are just as suitable for men and women to drive as are cars.
Job expansion in the manufacturing, warehousing and logistics sector looks promising for the economy. What does this news mean for the women out of work? Male workers have dominated the industrial workforce and have naturally gravitated towards these types of jobs, while women can easily take advantage of these job opportunities.
A career as a Forklift driver is an underrated profession and often overlooked by women. Many do not realise there is a high demand for Forklift operators. Operators drive Forklifts and use them carry heavy loads and stack pallets onto warehouse shelving or trucks. One can earn a respectable salary, opportunities for promotion. and enjoy flexible shifts as a Forklift operator. In order to secure employment, a training course and certification is mandatory but easy to obtain. A novice course takes only five days and you could be working the very next week…
So, to challenge that false assumption and in support of International Women’s Day Key Performance Training are putting on a LADIES ONLY forklift taster session. Friday 6th March at Unit 1 Headlands Trading Estate, Swindon, SN2 7JQ.
The free two-hour session has been designed to help people decide if they could operate a forklift truck and whether they could earn more as a forklift driver. We invite all ladies to come and try out some simple moves of both a Reach and Counterbalance Truck as well as to meet an Employment Agency to discuss the job opportunities locally right now.
For more information contact Bob Hayward or David Gearon at Key Performance Training #IWD2020 #EachforEquality
by Bob Hayward | May 22, 2019 | Employment & skills, Our News, RTITB, Training courses
At Key Performance Training, we are of course completely biased in our opinion, that a training course with us here will most certainly improve anyone’s life chances and ability to move forward. We consider that learning to be a Forklift Operator gets you onto the pathway to employment. It can be instrumental in getting to a job to start with. Any job for a new novice forklift truck driver is worth taking because it provides you with invaluable experience. Once you have six months or one year under your belt you can look for a better job because you know have a track record as a Forklift Driver. Once established in that better job you can start to build a career with further training and promotions. Any Job – Better Job – A Career; this ABC is the say of satisfying the need to improve self-worth which can only be got through a sense of achievement and personal growth.
Achievement and personal growth in turn can be pushed forward in leaps and bounds by choosing the right training course specifically tailored to you, it doesn’t matter what stage of your life you are at and it doesn’t really matter if your life’s ambition is to be a forklift truck driver or even to go on with further training to eventually become the trainer yourself, the fact is that training is truly the only way to improve your lot in life.
Training and more importantly the right training package will also give you personal confidence and the satisfaction of knowing that you have got not only the qualification, the actual bit of paper that says you have done it, but you have also applied yourself, made a decision and stuck with it until you obtained the end result.
Success measured how we do here at Key Performance Training is that it’s not so much where you end up more what you do every day all those little baby steps that add up to one giant leap for the improvement of your life.
Key Performance Training as specialists in this area have the skill set and techniques available to truly draw out of you the best Forklift Driver out of you that you can imagine. With Key Performance Training, even though there at tough tests to pass; both theory and practical – with Key Performance Training you never fail. Why? Because if you do not pass the first time we will continue to train you for free until you do pass.
Training and development is of course a fundamental part of any profession, not only does it help you improve your performance but it will allow you to perform better within your organisation thus helping your employer meet its own goals.
Even when you take you tri-annual refresher programmes, Key Performance Training will give you new skills making you as an individual more efficient at your job, in fact, it will make you truly more capable of handling situations that you would not necessarily have been confident in prior to taking one of our training courses.
Developing new skills within your own repertoire will also make you a much more valuable proposition to any new potential employer, putting you in the driving seat, quite literally, turning that first “Any Job” into a Better Job and then on into a Career.
by Bob Hayward | Jan 11, 2019 | Employment & skills, Industry news, Training courses
Almost 1,000 workers in the UK are seriously injured every year in forklift accidents, according to the Forklift Truck Association. From load falls to tip-overs to pedestrian casualties, winter weather can make operating a forklift truck highly dangerous for even the most experienced drivers, not to mention extremely challenging. Even with modern technology and advanced machinery, snowy and icy conditions pose risks for all forklift truck operators.
Here at Key Performance Training, we are a leading provider of training in the forklift industry, so we know how important it is to be fully equipped with the right knowledge and skills. Read our guide on improving forklift truck safety in cold weather, so you and your employees can drive safely at work in the winter months.
Wear the right clothing
Employees operating forklifts in the winter months are likely to be working in very cold or even freezing temperatures. Too much exposure to the cold can cause health problems as serious as hypothermia and frostbite, which is why drivers need to wear the right clothing during their workday.
Thermal workwear including body warmers, fleece jackets, insulated hats and warm gloves are vital for employees operating in winter. A high-quality pair of work boots is also essential to keep your feet warm and dry while minimising the chance of slipping over on icy paths. Don’t forget to put on a high-visibility vest as well, to ensure you can be seen in all conditions. Most of the clothing required to improve forklift safety in winter can be found at Zoro.
Install tyre chains.
All forklift drivers will know that having the right tyres is essential. As well as choosing strong, thick tyres which are durable and long-lasting, it is also recommended to have tyres with a deep, robust tread area. That’s not just the case for cold weather, though: well-maintained tyres are vital for forklift trucks, no matter what the weather conditions are.
But to make tyres even safer in winter, think about installing tyre chains to your forklift truck. These are designed to provide better traction in snow, which reduces the chances of drivers losing control on icy surfaces. Snow Chains offer a variety of tyre chains in different sizes, which can be easily fitted to most forklift trucks and then removed when the weather’s warmer.
Consistent maintenance is key
It is especially important to maintain a forklift truck in winter to avoid any accidents. Checks such as examining fluid levels, warning lights and the battery are some things operators should do every day. There are also obvious issues which should be looked for, including leaks and bodywork problems.
But there are further tests drivers should be carrying out in winter to make sure their forklift is completely safe to operate. For example, you need to take extra care with trucks fuelled by liquid propane, as their coolant system can freeze in cold weather. It’s worth taking additional safety measures and purchasing a winter forklift service.
Provide full forklift training
If your employees have not been fully trained on operating a forklift in winter, they should not be driving it. Driving a car is simply not the same as handling a forklift truck and there are many more skills you need to have. Plus, when it comes to winter, supplementary knowledge is required to make sure you are completely prepared for harsh weather conditions.
Key Performance Training provides expert training on operating forklifts, including refresher training for those who need a reminder of how to work safely in winter. You can find out more about our forklift training courses here.
Staying safe in winter can be difficult for even the most experienced forklift truck drivers. But if you wear the right clothing, install additional protective gear, maintain your truck correctly and have it comprehensively serviced, you can greatly reduce the risk of danger. It’s also recommended to take forklift truck training courses, so you know the proper procedures for operating in cold weather.
by Bob Hayward | Oct 4, 2018 | Employment & skills, Our News, RTITB, Training courses
A career as a trained fork lift truck driver can be one of the most fulfilling careers in the construction or distribution industry, key performance training specialise in training for the fork lift truck drivers. You can be sure that training for a career as a qualified forklift truck driver will assure you of a career that will span a lifetime. Almost everything in every home or business premises was once on a forklift truck. Even the simple pencil, was in a box, along with a few others, which were all on a pallet and that pallet was moved more than once by a forklift truck.
Almost everybody who runs a successful company will also run training for their employees the ability for their workers to advance themselves not only will this give the company more valuable resource is in the form of better able staff will also promote a greater feeling of well-being in the employee which will in turn enable to live a better life and so training in effect becomes the catalyst for happier workers a better and more effective workforce and much higher productivity within the company.
Within the forklift driving industry historically it has been viewed that individuals will have less of a leaning towards academia and this could have contributed towards their decision to seek employment within this industry in the first place, maybe school and learning wasn’t for them, this in turn has over the years lead to a belief that those operatives working within this industry would struggle with training courses, however nothing could be further from the truth.
More and more our industry is being seen as a professional career path and therefore training within the industry has to offer enough scope to allow workers to feel that there is possibility of progression, this in turn will benefit the industry by helping to retain valuable experienced forklift truck drivers and who knows, in time they may go on to become the next generation of trainers themselves, certainly there can be no replacement for true knowledge and experience in any industry with this one being no different.
There are so many opportunities arising within our industry with warehousing constantly on the increase, the construction, retail industry and many more are all requiring the skill of professional forklift truck drivers, therefore there will constantly be a need for Centres of excellence in training to put on high-quality up skilling opportunities for forklift truck drivers. As such annual refreshers may become the norm rather than the current practise of only refreshing once every three years.
