www.fork-truck.org.uk WAREHOUSE & LOGISTICS NEWS - FLTA FORK TRUCK SAFETY FEATURE 3
SAFETY IISSUES SSTILL PPLAYING SSECOND FFIDDLE
THE CCOMMENT FFROM WWAREHOUSE && LLOGISTICS NNEWS
J
udged by the number of little-changed, forklift- solely by the driver but by controllable, environmental factors, often because a tipping forklift is the most common cause of forklift reduce them, operators should
related accident statistics over recent years, exacerbated by commercial pressures to meet delivery deadlines. fatalities. A good example of this is Toyota’s SAS (system of action consider the various aids for accurate
safety issues still seem to be playing second A look at facilities design, for example, can lay bare some of the stability) which, through four different sensors, protects drivers and load placement. These include pre-
fiddle to commercial necessity. Thousands of forklift reasons why drivers are unfairly blamed for accidents. Lighting is a good loads by monitoring the forklift’s stability. But stability can also be height selectors (the cheapest) TV
and handling-related accidents are reported every year example. A 60-year old forklift driver needs six times as much light as a affected by changing a truck’s ballast, like when switching to a monitors and laser guided systems. Such
but the figures are deceptive because they are grossly 20-year old to discriminate objects in dim light and post 40-year olds are lighter and therefore cheaper battery or fork mast or by changing aids are less necessary when using
under reported, especially among the self employed. So also more sensitive to glare. A forklift driver may have too little depth to tyres that do not conform to the truck maker’s specifications. articulated forklifts because these
why do these figures remain persistently high, and what perception in a dim warehouse and so not see fellow employees in time There are laws governing such changes but they are often ignored, trucks give the driver an unimpeded
are truck manufacturers doing to improve matters? to respond. Fitting forklifts with auxiliary lights could help here. hence emphasising the need for robust housekeeping practices. view when interfacing the pallet load
Solutions fall into two main categories: hardware and good All warehouse operators should conduct a risk assessment that Another good example of designed-in safety features is the with the racking beams. Tilting and revolving cabs and seats can also
housekeeping, including facilities design. According to the Forklift should include physical aspects like floor conditions, lighting, racking and recently launched Caterpillar N series of reach trucks and order improve ergonomics and so reduce the risk of accidents from fatigue.
Truck Safety Association, unsafe working practices account for damaged pallets. Current working practices should also be scrutinised. It pickers. These incorporate slow down while turning, progressive Given the many advances in truck hardware safety issues, it is
55% of accidents, of which 15% involve untrained drivers. is not generally good practice to have low level order pickers working in steering, drive limitation and lift height pre-selector. Other safety difficult to see what more truck producers could do to improve
There is a tendency to blame even properly trained drivers as the the same aisles as VNA or counterbalance trucks at the same time. devices include seat switch for detecting driver presence, dead safety further. The pity is that such commendable attention has
main cause of unsafe practices but a closer examination of the On the hardware side there has been much progress to improve man pedal, pin code access and obstacle detection system. not been matched by similar attention to safe working practices.
figures shows that as much as 25% of the accidents are caused not safety. Truck stability has rightly come in for great attention Accidents often occur when handling loads at heights over 6 mt. To Warehouse & Logistics News
SAFE OPERATIONS
FLTA NNATIONAL FFORK LLIFT TTRUCK SSAFETY CCONFERENCE 22008, WWARWICK UUNIVERSITY 225/09/08
Continued from front page use of attachments can play in safety. The Safety Solutions
Design for Safety presentation will explore what is readily A series of short presentations will look at
Toyota Material Handling available, off the shelf, and will give some new and innovative products that
UK will explain how examples of attachments that have been have an important part to play in opera-
safety features can be specially designed to make particular tional safety. Speakers will include
designed and developed tasks safer. representatives from Jungheinrich UK
within new trucks. Benoit Meunier, who Battery Safety & Environmental Issues Ltd, Mentor FLT Training Ltd, Castell
has been instrumental in the development As Nigel Harris of CMP Batteries will Safety and the FLTA. In addition the team
of the Toyota Tonero, will provide exam- make clear, batteries and their chargers from Sellafield Ltd will update confer-
ples of recent significant achievements. continue to be a potential hazard in the ence delegates on the work they are doing
Operational Hazard workplace. This session will look at the to improve safety at their site.
Unloading Freight Containers - safety issues relating to the operation and Alternative Fuel Sources
Unloading and loading freight containers management of battery power and will set Ian Melhuish of the NACCO Materials
creates a common workplace hazard. out the more general benefits of CMP’s Handling Group will give a presentation
Lanre Okunribido, a Higher Ergonomist new environmental grading system. on this important topic. Although not
at the HSE Health and Safety Laboratory, Tyre Safety & the CSEasy strictly a safety issue, the availability of
has undertaken a project to analyse and Jill Rogers and Gary alternative fuel sources is certain to affect
reduce the risks involved. Looking Banks from the everyone in the materials handling
beyond the world of mechanical handling, Continental Tyre Group industry - and perhaps sooner than we
his presentation will focus on key risk will demonstrate the imagine. Many of today’s fork lift oper-
factors and identify best practices in this award-winning CSEasy ating hazards relate to the fuels we use.
essential task. rapid-fit tyre. They will Will alternative fuels be safer, or will they
Fork Lift Truck Attachments look at the different types of tyre avail- introduce new safety challenges? These
Neal Fowler from B&B able for fork lift trucks and highlight how and other issues will be discussed, along
Attachments will highlight tyre awareness can play a part in encour- with examples of what Hyster is already
the key role that correct aging safe operations. doing in this exciting field.
CONFERENCE PROGRAMME
09:15-09:35 - Registration - Tea & Coffee - Arts Centre Foyer
09:45-09:50 - Opening Remarks - David Ellison, Chief Executive FLTA
09:50-09:55 - Welcome - John Chappell, Chairman FLTA
09:55-10:35 - Tipping Trucks – the HSE Perspective - John Moutrie, Health & Safety Executive
10:40-11:10 - Fork Lift Truck Attachments - Neal Fowler, B&B Attachments Ltd
11:10-11:30 - Tea & Coffee, Arts Centre Foyer
11:30-12:00 - Operational Hazard, Unloading Freight Containers - Lanre Okunribido, HSE Health and Safety Laboratory
12:05-12:10 - Safety Solutions - Pick of the Best, David Ellison, FLTA
12:10-12:30 - Safety Solution Salvo - Jason Reed, Castell Safety
12:30-13:00 - Battery Safety & Environmental Issues, Nigel Harris, CMP Batteries
13:00-13:50 - Lunch - Chancellor’s Suite, Rootes Building
13:50-14:20 - Design for Safety - Benoit Meunier, Toyota Material Handling UK Ltd
14:20-14:40 - Safety Solution 2 - Gunter Fritzsche, Jungheinrich UK Ltd, Floor Control System
14:40-15:10 - Safety Solution 3 - Jill Rogers, Tyre Safety & the CSEasy, Gary Banks, Continental Tyre Group
15:10-15:30 - Tea & Coffee - Arts Centre Foyer
15:30-15:50 - Safety Solution 4 - The Lifters, Richard Shore, Mentor FLT Training Ltd
15:50-16:30 - Alternative Fuel Sources - Ian Melhuish, NACCO Materials Handling Group
16:30-16:45 - Safe Site Update - Kevin Stilling, Sellafield Ltd
16:45-16:55 - Any Questions - David Ellison, FLTA
16:55 - Conference Ends
Safe Operations will be held in the Warwick Tickets for the full day event are
University Arts Centre on Thursday 25th priced at £93.00 (inc VAT) for members
September 2008. If you are reading this prior of the FLTA or its Safe User Group and
to the event, you will have to act quickly to £125.00 (inc VAT) for non-members.
book a place. You can book on line at The price includes refreshments and
www.fork-truck.org.uk. documentation.
FLTA CONTACT DETAILS: WEB: WWW.FORK-TRUCK.ORG.UK - EMAIL: MAIL@FORK-TRUCK.ORG.UK - TEL: 01256 381 441
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