Updated COVID-19 HSE Guidelines for Forklift Truck Training
12 February 2021
We wrote a blog, “Wallace Forklift Training is Open for Business” in March 2020 during the first lockdown following advice from Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Road Transport Industry Training Board (RTITB) and Association of Industrial Truck Drivers (AITT).
The HSE has revised and updated its advice which is summarised in this blog. HSE has confirmed that urgent and essential forklift operator training can continue during the current lockdown and hence Wallace Forklift Training is open for business.HSE advises that employers should ensure that all staff who operate a forklift truck are adequately trained. These include initial or refresher training for new starters, refreshers for existing staff or when existing staff use new types of equipment. A forklift lift truck operator should be routinely monitored and go on a refresher or retest, usually every 3-5 years. This is a best way to make sure that the forklift operator remains competent.
To manage the risks of COVID-19 transmission, HSE has advised employers and forklift training providers to consider;
- if the training needs to be done urgently, based on their own assessment of forklift drivers’ competence and experience;
- If there are other qualified forklift drivers with the appropriate training who could carry out the tasks on a short-term basis;
- Checking prior to training commencing that no one is exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms;
- Providing a system for separate entry and exit points from sites so that social distancing can be maintained
- Minimising touch points and shared contact surfaces, such as pens, pointers, or touch screens;
- To have easy and safe access to toilets and handwashing facilities with hot and cold running water, and that handwashing is carried out at regular intervals;
- How social distancing can be maintained. This may mean reducing class size if suitable distancing cannot be maintained;
- Sanitising shared surfaces such as equipment controls between users;
- Providing fresh air ventilation wherever possible by opening windows or doors. Mechanical ventilation should not be set to air recirculation mode;
- Use of alternative learning methods such as e-learning or webinars where practicable;
- Minimising face to face work wherever possible.
Wallace School of Transport has over 50 years’ experience and has dedicated facilities for training on all types of forklifts including Counterbalance, Reach. Pivot Steer and Truck Mounted (also called MOFFETT). Ruth Wallace of Wallace School of Transport said, "we do not use brokers/agents and contractors and hence have complete control of all the processes. This enables us to follow HSE guidelines for safety of our staff and customers".
Wallace School of Transport is a fully accredited RTITB company with over 50 years' experience. You can be trained either at your own work site or at Wallace Centre in Park Royal. If you have any questions, call Wallace Forklift Training for free on 0800 612 8948, choose option 3 or email us at inof@wallaceschool.co.uk
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