Every year, a large number of injuries are caused by pedestrians being hit by forklifts. As forklifts are extremely heavy, they can create fatal crush injuries quite easily. The best solution is to completely separate pedestrians and forklifts but this…
Your forks will wear out as you use them – abrasion against pallets, racking, the ground and other objects will gradually make them thinner and thinner. They can also suffer distortion through accidents and overloading. A fork can have up…
If you have pedestrian and heavy machinery traffic alongside truck movements in your warehouse or yard, you must have a set of health and safety rules and a site induction to ensure that accidents don’t happen. Truck drivers and pedestrian…
Different types of forklifts serve different purposes and it’s not uncommon for a company to have at least two types. The main types of forklift are: Counterbalance Reach truck Walkie and electric-powered hand truck Side loader Order picker and narrow…
To get an F endorsement, you need to do an F endorsement course. An F endorsement allows you to drive a forklift on a public road, as long as the forklift has a warrant of fitness and a current registration.…
In Australia you need a high-risk work licence (HRWL) to operate a forklift. The course to get the licence is 2.5 days and is much more intense than New Zealand courses, covering a broader range of topics and much more…
This list can be useful for newer operators or operators who have come from overseas as it explains common abbreviations and acronyms used on and around forklifts. 4-D: Capable of travel forwards/backwards/left/right AC: Alternating Current ACOP: Approved Code of Practice…
Some forklift trainers will tell you that it is dangerous to wear earplugs or other hearing protection while using a forklift because you can’t hear other forklifts or pedestrians around you, but forklifts can create a lot of noise. High…
Forklift attachments can put additional strain on your forklift and usually derate it, i.e. the forklift can’t lift as much. The attachments are often highly specialised and can be expensive, so you’ll want to look for ones that will fulfil…
Fork extensions, sometimes called ‘slippers’ or ‘tine extensions’, are attachments that are sleeves that fit over the forks to extend their length. They make a forklift more versatile. For example, as long as the rated capacity isn’t exceeded, they can…
If you use your forklift on a road, it needs to be registered, but the definition of ‘road’ is very broad. It includes places that the public has access, whether by right or not. This allows police and other authorities…
A container spec forklift truck is one that can operate inside a standard shipping container – i.e. it can drive into the shipping container and pick up a load on a pallet that’s inside the container without the roof of…
Forklifts that operate using LPG, diesel or petrol emit carbon monoxide when running; electric forklifts don’t have any emissions. If you operate a forklift in an enclosed space without any ventilation, carbon monoxide levels can rise to the point where…
Now’s a good time to check how your operators are doing and that they haven’t acquired any bad habits over the last few months. The following list contains things that forklift operators tend to slide back into doing and need…
Whether a forklift operator is brand new or doing a refresher, the theory requirement is exactly the same and can be done online using this forklift course. The practical requirement is different, though. Practical forklift training for new operators Competenz…
A forklift operator’s certificate is a course that teaches forklift operation and safety protocols followed by a practical assessment that includes three types of lifting, manoeuvring, a pre-shift check and correct shutdown procedure. The recommendation in the Approved Code of…
There’s no such thing as a ‘forklift licence’ in New Zealand. People talk about getting a forklift licence and you’ll see companies advertising forklift licences, however, they either mean an F endorsement (which goes on a driver licence) or the forklift…
Forklift operators spend most of their time sitting down and twisting behind them. This creates muscle tension, particularly in the lower back and shoulders, and the risk of physical strains. Despite how it looks, an eight-hour shift sitting down can…
When you do your forklift operator’s certificate course, it’s valid for three years. You have the option to change the time period it’s valid for (i.e. three years is a suggestion in the Approved Code of Practice but is not…
WorkSafe says that “Trainers and supervisors of workers should be competent. They can be in-house or from external organisations.” This gives you a lot of flexibility to ensure that your forklift operators are getting the best training. Sometimes you will…
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