Customer Zone
Legal Responsibilities
Each day, at least one UK worker is killed or injured because a forklift truck was not operated or maintained correctly. As a company using fork lift trucks, you have a number of important responsibilities if you are to keep your operation legal and your employees safe. The applies to whether a truck is on hire or purchased out right.
Below is some key information relating to forklift truck safety, training and maintenance. For more comprehensive user information visit the Fork Lift Truck Association website, the UK's Independent Authority on Fork Lift Trucks.
Regular Maintenance and Servicing
Under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER 98), you have a legal duty to ensure your fork lift truck is always in good repair. As a minimum, this will include a sound system of daily or pre-shift checks and a regular schedule of preventative maintenance that meets the manufacturer's recommendations (ask us for more information).
Proper Training for ALL Operators
Anybody operating a fork lift truck must have had relevant training for that particular type of truck, task and conditions. For further information please take the time to review the HSE Guidelines (L117).
PM 28 Working Platforms (Non Integrated) on Forklift Trucks
There is a variety of equipment available for work at height, including scaffolding, tower scaffolds, mobile elevating working platforms (MEWPs), staircases, platforms, and portable ladders. The selection and use of an appropriate and suitable method of access will depend on the nature of the task to be carried out, the frequency of occurrence, the duration of the work and the availability of equipment. In many workplaces people need temporary access to work at height, particularly for maintenance activities. This guidance document assists users and suppliers to meet their legal duties by providing advice on identifying appropriate working platform and forklift truck combinations, how they can be used safely together and necessary design characteristics for working platforms to provide for their safe use.
Annual Thorough Examination Report
You have a legal requirement to ensure that it holds a valid Report of Thorough Examination. Failing to comply could be disastrous and result in prosecution, invalidation of your insurance or a serious accident. Groundwater Lift Trucks Ltd. is accredited to carry out Thorough Examination under the CFTS (Consolidated Fork Truck Services) Quality Assurance Procedural Code.
For further information contact us today at sales@groundwater.uk.com or visit the HSE website.
