Protect pedestrians
August 1st 2008 With 100,000 British businesses using forklift trucks, preventing potential accidents is
crucial. It is not just drivers that are at risk, pedestrians are even more likely to be injured,
and this is the focus of The Fork Lift Truck Association's safety campaign
Statistically it is likely two British
workers will be killed by forklift trucks
this September, and up to 60 more
will suffer very serious injuries. That's
unless a new awareness campaign, to be
launched this year, can cut accident rates in
what has been described as 'the deadliest
month of the year'.
Although they do an unparalleled
amount of good work, the UK's 350,000
forklift trucks account for more serious
accidents at work than cars and HGVs
combined, hospitalising over 400
employees each year. Deaths occur, on
average, every six weeks increasing to
around fortnightly in September.
National Fork Lift Safety Week (22nd
28th September 2008) will mark the
culmination of a month-long campaign by
members of the Fork Lift Truck Association,
the independent authority on fork lift
trucks, attempting to reduce the accident
toll. Crucially, the Association's safety
message extends beyond truck operators,
to work colleagues and members of the
public.
Statistics suggest as many as two thirds
of accidents kill or injure someone who was
not driving the truck at the time meaning
anybody visiting or working at one of the
estimated 100,000 British business that use
a forklift truck could be at risk.
The campaign message
The message of this year's campaign is
therefore a simple one: 'Pedestrians and
forklift trucks don't mix'.
Businesses of all kinds will be
encouraged to take up a range of free
safety resources available throughout
September on the Association's website
www.fork-truck.org.uk, while those who
are serious about improving their
operations are invited to attend Safe
Operations the National Fork Lift Truck
Safety Conference on Thursday 25th
September.
The FLTA's website is always a great
source of further information on fork lift
safety and legislation. That includes:
downloadable FLTA Fact Sheets, answering
frequently asked questions; the
downloadable FLTA Safety 4MOST pack,
which sets out the basics of forklift safety;
and a catalogue of useful resources
produced by the FLTA and other safety
organisations. In September there will be
free posters and a safety quiz to help
promote the Safety Week's message.
Safe user group
There will also be a 10% discount in
September on the joining and membership
fees for the FLTA Safe User Group. The FLTA
knows how overburdened forklift owners
and operators can be with the many
responsibilities, rules and regulations
relating to safety. To help them cope with
the ever changing legislation, understand
the issues and find a way through the
paperwork, the Association runs a Safe User
Group.
As members of the FLTA Safe User
Group, truck users receive the information
they need in a form that's totally relevant,
very concise and extremely easy to use.
This saves time and money for the member
and his or her business, while helping to
make the workplace a safer environment
for everyone. Visit the FLTA website to find
out more.
Safe site award
If you have done something to improve the
safety of your workplace and its forklift
operations, the FLTA feels that you deserve
recognition. That's why the Association is
keen to receive nomination for its Safe Site
Award. To qualify for this Award you should
have looked carefully at all aspects of your
site and its forklift truck operations,
identified any weaknesses, put them right
and seen resulting improvements in safety.
Making a nomination couldn't be easier.
Look at the simple nomination form on
www.fork-truck.org.uk and you'll see there's
very little to it.
Just enter the basic information
requested and return your form by 30th
September 2008. An 'Archie' the materials
handling industry's ultimate accolade
awaits the winner of the Safe Site Award. More articles from The Fork Truck Association: | 
