Fork lift safety conference set for September

Fork Lift Truck Association 2008 safety conference set to focus on truck tipping dangers

Announcing the key topics for Safe Operations - this year's National Fork Truck Safety Conference at Warwick University on September 25 - the Fork Lift Truck Association has a hard-hitting message for those who underestimate the possibility of a truck tipping over in their workplace.

"When we think of unsafe operations, a fork lift truck tipping over is about as bad as it gets," said FLTA Chief Executive David Ellison.

"But it can and does get worse if the operator is not restrained.

"Indeed, it gets a bloody site worse." He added: "Many people think this is something that couldn't happen on their site...

but we know it still does happen on someone's site - and more often than you would think!" The Association will start off its 2008 Safety Conference by discussing the ultimate catastrophe.

John Moutrie from the Field Operations Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will explain why trucks tipping over continues to be such a cause for concern and what the HSE is doing about it.

He will also review other aspects of fork lift truck operations that continue to feature in HSE incident reporting.

As ever the conference's aim is to give practical guidance on issues and problems raised by - and directly affecting - users of fork lift trucks.

Expert speakers will give presentations on what the fork lift truck industry is doing to make lifting operations safer and to reduce the risks.

Design Toyota Material Handling UK will explain how safety features can be designed into new trucks as they are being developed and will give examples of significant achievements in recent years.

The correct use of attachments can play a key role in safety.

BandB Attachments will explain what is readily available and will give examples of attachments that have been specially designed to meet specific needs.

CMP Batteries will look at the safety issues relating to operation and management of battery power and will explain the more general benefits of CMP's new environmental grading system.

Continental Tyres will demonstrate the award-winning CSEasy rapid-fit tyre, as well as discussing the various types of tyre fitted to fork lift trucks and explaining how tyre awareness can assist safe operations.

A few short presentations will look at some new and innovative products that have an important part to play in operational safety.

Although not strictly a safety issue, the availability of alternative fuel sources for the materials-handling industry will affect us all - and perhaps quicker than we think.

Many operating hazards relate to the fuels we use today.

Will alternative fuels be safer, or will they introduce new safety challenges? These and other issues will be discussed by Ian Melhuish of the NACCO Materials Handling Group, who will give examples of what Hyster is already doing in this exciting field.

Tickets for the all-day event are priced at GBP93 (including VAT) for members of the FLTA or its Safe User Group and GBP125 (including VAT) for non-members.

The price includes refreshments and documentation.

For further details visit the FLTA website www.fork-truck.org.uk, email mail@fork-truck.org.uk or call the FLTA office on 01256 381441.

Back to top