To maintain safety and compliance as operations resume and
forklift operators return to work, RTITB is reminding employers of the
necessity to provide assessments and refresher training.
“We are now, fortunately, in a situation where many
operations are re-starting or returning to pre-lockdown capacity, and where
many forklift operators who had been on furlough are returning to work,” says
Laura Nelson, Managing Director for RTITB, the UK’s leading workplace transport
training accrediting body. “Alongside considerations around PPE, hygiene
and social distancing, employers must also provide the operator training and
assessment that is required for both safety, and compliance.”
In March 2020, for those businesses remaining operational,
the Health and Safety Executive permitted authorisations to operate for
material handling equipment (MHE) operators to be extended by up to three
months if it was not possible to deliver refresher training due to Covid-19
(and subject to fulfilment of particular requirements). Although they have not
had time away from the workplace, these forklift operators may also now be due
refresher training to retain their authorisation to operate.
“There are several ways that employers can approach this
situation to remain compliant and keep their people safe,” explains Laura.
“Where operators are returning to work having not used a truck for some time,
the most assured method of compliance would be to provide refresher training
prior to re-instating their authorisation to operate.”
“Alternatively, you could opt to carry out an assessment on
all of your operators prior to re-authorisation and provide refresher training
only to those who do not meet the assessment criteria,” she continues,
explaining that the best course of action will vary, depending on what is
reasonably practicable in different businesses.
However, the HSE guidance remains that employers must not
allow any employee to operate MHE without re-assessment or re-training if their
authorisation to operate has expired, or if they’ve been away from work for a
period of time.
To identify the best course of action and assess potential
risks as forklift operators return to work, RTITB recommends that an employer
should consider five key questions.
1. Is the returning operator recently qualified or relatively inexperienced?
2. Is the operator within scope of existing company policies (for example, does the operator return to work policy require retraining after a four-month absence)?
3. Is the operator lacking confidence or requesting extra support? Employers should talk to the operator to find out how they are feeling about returning to work.
4. Does the returning operator have a history of poor operating?
5. Is a competent Instructor or training organisation available to help?
“However the employer chooses to roll out assessment or refresher training, they should also provide increased supervision and work-based observations of forklift operators once they’re back in the workplace,” says Laura. “This helps ensure their continued correct operational ability at a time where safety is more of a priority than ever.”
