Important Forklift Truck Legislation You Need To Know | East Midlands Forklifts
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Important Forklift Truck Legislation You Need To Know

All commercial industries are governed by a number of regulations and guidelines to ensure that correct health and safety procedures are followed at all times. The forklift industry is no different, and its various pieces of legislation highlight the fact that operating lift truck machinery can be a hazardous and dangerous thing to do if correct protocol is not followed.

So what are the governing bodies that control the usage of forklifts? And what are the different types of legislation that they enforce?

LOLER

Dating back to 1998, the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) apply to all companies utilising forklift machinery.

The regulations are clear, and mainly focus on the need for correct planning and preparation by a competent person for all tasks involving lifting equipment, alongside careful management and maintenance of all machinery used for lifting.

All equipment checks should be accompanied by the appropriate records, detailing any failings and steps taken to rectify them (much like a car MOT). The easiest way to carry out this inspection is through the industry standard ‘thorough examination’, that can be performed by the professionals at East Midlands Forklifts.

PUWER

The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) is the parent legislation from which LOLER derives. Created in 1992, PUWER covers the wider world of working with machinery in a commercial environment, enforcing correct maintenance and inspection of equipment to ensure safety.

Health and Safety at Work Act

First introduced back in 1975 (and amended at various points since), the Health and Safety at Work Act enforces employers to exercise “reasonable and practicable” steps to achieve the required level of health and safety in their workplaces. While the means of achieving these standards are largely left up to the employer, the accepted practice is to identify and remove risks to employees and visitors through a series of inspections and hazard assessments. The forklift ‘thorough examination’ would fall under this bracket.

Approved Code of Practice

A 2013 update of the Approved Code of Practice, first published in 1989, included specifications regarding forklift operator training. This attempted to introduce a defined standard for this practice in the UK, building on the work of the Road Transport Industry Training Board’s “red book” that had been the guide up to this point.

ACOP breaks the training down into three distinct phases of training:

  • Basic Training: a course followed by a test
  • Specific Job Training: a recognised understanding of the workplace and the handling machinery
  • Familiarisation Training: working while being closely supervised

The Approved Code of Practice guidelines are the first port of call for managers and employers operating in the forklift industry, and ensure that all companies stay compliant with the law.

East Midlands Forklifts are the leading providers of forklift sales and repairs in the region. Our team are on hand to carry out thorough examinations of all forklifts, in line with FLTA regulations, ensuring that your lift trucks remain safe and in compliance with legislation.

Get in touch today for more information.

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