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What does it all stand for
LOLER
- Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations
PUWER
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
Picture
Courtesy of
AES Training
Services
Picture
Courtesy of
AES Training
Services
COSHH
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
DSE
Display Screen Equipment Regulations
MHSAWR
MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH & SAFETY AT WORK REGULATIONS
WR
WORKPLACE REGULATIONS
MHR
MANUAL HANDLING REGULATIONS
PPE
PROTECTIVE CLOTHING & EQUIPMENT REGULATIONS
CB
Counterbalanced fork lift truck
RTITB
Road Transport Industry Training Board
MEWP
Mobile Elevation Work Platforms
PCOTC
Pendant Controlled Overhead Travelling Crane
HIAB
Not an acronym but generally used to describe
a lorry mounted crane in the same way that Hoover
is used to descibe vacuum cleaners
HSE
Act - Health and Safety at Work Act
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How
much do you already know?
1) A person is fully qualified to operate a
fork lift truck if he/she has passed a test with
an accredited training company. True or false?
This
is false. There are 3 stages of training and
passing the test only proves that a person has
attended a course and has the basic skills necessary.
Following the test the candidate should receive
Specific Job Training and familiarisation training
according to the Approved Code of Practice.
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Not
until all 3 stages have been completed is the trainee
considered to be fully qualified in accordance with
the Health and safety at
Work Act
1)
A certificate of authorisation must be given by
the fork lift truck operator's employer.
This
statement is true as ONLY an employer can authorise
a person to operate trucks on their premises. It follows
that they should not do this until full training of
the person has been carried out.
2)
One novice operator can easily receive basic training
in two days.
False.
The MINIMUM duration of a training course for an absolute
novice is 3 days and all accrediting bodies expect
this to take place. If anyone offers to do the course
in less than 3 days the training, in the event of
a subsequent accident, would be deemed to be insufficient
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3)
It is mandatory that a fork lift operator
attains the age of 18 years before being allowed
to operate his/her truck.
It
is not absolutely mandatory but the ACOP
states that 18 is the recommended age in most
industries. It is not actually against the law
to train a person under this age but any self
respecting training company would not do it
under normal circumstances.
4)
In order to become an instructor a person
MUST pass the test to a higher standard than
that expected of an operator.
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Picture
Courtesy of
AES Training
Services
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Not
true!! The ACOP states that an instructor must be
qualified to OPERATOR standard only. The accrediting
bodies however, insist that the standard is higher
on the basis that an instructor should be able to
produce a "model" demonstration
5)
The Approved Code of Practice covers every possible
type of truck
This
is a fallacy. It actually covers ALL rider operated
machines including "stand on" types such
as pallet trucks etc.
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Picture
Courtesy of
AES Training
Services
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6)
The maximum penalty points allowed before
a basic test is deemed to be a failure is 40
This
is true, 41 penalty points constitutes a failure
although about half this is a good average for
a normal trainee
7)
The maximum number of trainees that should
attend a practical part of a course under ideal
conditions is three, True of false?
This
is true but ONLY under ideal conditions of safety.
A better instructor/pupil ratio is 1:2 for many
applications.
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8
) Fork lift trucks are covered under the LOLER legislation?
True.
Most items that elevate products are covered but trucks
and cranes are very prominently mentioned.
9)
It is ok to drive a fork lift truck on the public
highway without reference to the road traffic acts.
This
is definitely NOT true and if you click on the link
on our web site marked "Trucks on the road"
a full explanation is given. Most people do not seem
to be aware of this!
10)
A truck powered by LP Gas is inherently safer to
nearby personnel than one powered by diesel
This
is a common misconception. The fumes given off by
LP Gas trucks are far more toxic than those from diesel
trucks. It is true however that LP Gas is less likely
to contaminate products in a confined space. Diesel
fumes damage a person directly by "choking"
rather than toxicity.
And
for bonus points ....
The new ACOPs from 1999 changed the dimensions of
the main aisle for reach truck tests. It used to be
12" (300 mm)
What
is it now? the answer is here,
in read under the last paragraph!
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