The annual National Forklift Safety Day, organised by BITA (British Industrial Truck Association), is taking place on 9th June 2020. At RTITB, our purpose is to reduce costs and save lives in workplace transport operations, so we were pleased to see that this year the day is dedicated to highlighting the important issue of separation between pedestrians and materials handling equipment.
From our expertise in developing forklift driver and forklift instructor training, we know that giving MHE operators the right knowledge, skills and behaviours plays an important part in reducing accidents. However, we were pleased to see that the theme for this year is that “Management is Responsible for Separating Pedestrians from Materials Handling Equipment”. All too often the role of managers and supervisors is overlooked when it comes to keeping people safe.
Watch this video to learn more about our views on this important subject.
Accident figures based on RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations) over the last three years show that 43% of incidents involving a forklift truck were impacts with a third person. Of these, around 65% were pedestrians engaged in activities unrelated to the immediate truck operation.
So, if your operation is using materials handling equipment, we urge you to get behind National Forklift Safety Day to help prevent accidents. You can find out more, watch helpful videos and download other resources here.
If you need further information on MHE operator training to tackle these issues or training for managers and supervisors, contact our team of safety experts for advice today by emailing solutions@rtitb.com or calling +44(0)1952 520 200.