Useful Info

Driver Training

In the UK, fork lift training is monitored by a number of different organisations, which all Forklift Instructors must be registered with at least one of them. Although R.T.I.T.B. insist on 2 yearly refresher training, the amount of time determined between refresher courses is subject to H&S Executives, Insurance companies or company policies. H&S Executives do recommend re-training every 2 years.

United Kingdom Forklift Instructors must be registered to one of the following;

• Road Transport Industry Training Board LTD (RTITB)
• Independent Training Standards Scheme and Register (ITSSAR)
• National Plant Operators Registration Scheme (NPORS)
• Association of Industrial Truck Trainers (AITT)
• CITB-Construction Skills

There are various different training companies across the UK that can provide training on-site at your business premises, these can be independent instructors or part of a training company. There are also various training centre's across the UK that can provide individuals not already trained to use a Forklift Truck to help gain a licence.

Training falls into four different categories;

• REFRESHER - People who have gained a Forklift Training Certificate and need to be brought up to date with new laws and/or regulations.
• CONVERSION - People who have been trained on a type of truck recently, and need to start using a different type.
• SEMI-EXPERIENCED - People who are competent on a Fork Lift, but have never been certificated.
• NOVICE - Never been on a Forklift Truck before and never been certificated.

The courses can last for 1 day for a Refresher or a Conversion course, to 5 days for a Novice course. The fork lift instructors are allowed to train a maximum of Three People per day.

Loading Rating Of Fork Lift Trucks

It should come as no surprise that a fork lift truck is designed to lift a specific weight to a specific height. That is one of the reasons why there are so many different types and models of fork lift truck. Every fork lift truck will have a rating plate. This plate will show the maximum weight that can be lifted to a given height and at a given load centre.

All operators should be taught to understand this terminology as part of their training. If it is not understood by your operators, or anyone else in the company, then you should ask your fork lift truck supplier to explain what it all means.

It is very important.

Whilst it is safe to lift lesser weights it is not safe to lift greater weights. When an attachment is used, even just a side shift, this extra equipment has a weight. In simple terms this extra weight becomes part of the load that the truck is lifting and the actual load must therefore be reduced. Unfortunately the calculation is not straight forward as other items, such as the changed centre of gravity, also have to be considered. The process of reducing the load that can be lifted is called de-rating.

Only the manufacturer of a fork lift truck can determine the level of de-rating required. Your fork lift truck supplier should be able to arrange this. Once the level of de-rating is agreed a new rating plate must be attached to the truck, does not include classroom work.

showing the new rating details that apply when the truck is being used with the attachment. If a truck is to be used with more than one attachment then there must be a rating plate to cover each attachment that may be used.

The Use Of Fork Lift Truck On A Public Road

Offload a lorry outside on the road, you do not have to register, tax and insure your fork lift truck. That is an old wives’ tale!

If, on the task to be performed, the Fork Lift Truck will travel more than 1000 yards, then it must comply with Construction and Use Regulations or have Type Approval. This involves all sorts of legal requirements and probable quite major modifications to the truck and should not be undertaken lightly. Compliance may become quite complex.

However, if, on the task to be performed, the Fork Lift Truck will travel less than 1000 yards, on public roads, between sites or for unloading vehicles, then there is special dispensation from compliance with the Construction and Use Regulations. In most circumstances it can be driven with little modification; but it must be registered and insured. Compliance may be relatively simple but understanding all the rules is not straightforward. The rules cover items such as excise duty, lighting, number plates, operator requirements and even what is a public road.

The Use Of A Fork Lift Truck On A Public Road

Offload a lorry outside on the road, you do not have to register, tax and insure your fork lift truck. That is an old wives’ tale!

If, on the task to be performed, the Fork Lift Truck will travel more than 1000 yards, then it must comply with Construction and Use Regulations or have Type Approval. This involves all sorts of legal requirements and probable quite major modifications to the truck and should not be undertaken lightly. Compliance may become quite complex.

However, if on the task to be performed, the Fork Lift Truck will travel less than 1000 yards, on public roads, between sites or for unloading vehicles, then there is special dispensation from compliance with the Construction and Use Regulations. In most circumstances it can be driven with little modification; but it must be registered and insured. Compliance may be relatively simple but understanding all the rules is not straightforward. The rules cover items such as excise duty, lighting, number plates, operator requirements and even what is a public road.