Here are some of the questions we’re asked most frequently about MHE training, operator requirements and workplace safety.
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We’ll be happy to answer your questions, talk through your requirements and help make sure you have the right training in place for your operators.
I want to pay for myself to do a course. Is this possible with CDR?
No- We’re sorry. CDR Training are an onsite training company who deliver training to businesses and trade customers only, we do not have any training centre facilities. Please contact RTITB on 01952 520200 for details of training centres in your local area or use their course locator
As an employer, why should I provide refresher training for my team?
Refresher training is an important part of maintaining operator competence and helping to ensure that Material Handling Equipment continues to be used safely.
Over time, even experienced operators can develop bad habits, forget elements of their original training or become less familiar with safe operating procedures. Refresher training provides an opportunity to reassess an operator’s ability, correct any unsafe practices and reinforce the standards expected within the workplace.
There is no specific legal requirement for refresher training to be completed after a fixed period. However, HSE guidance states that employers may decide that automatic refresher training or re-testing at set intervals – for example, every 3 to 5 years – is an appropriate way of helping to ensure employees remain competent.
Importantly, simply having a set refresher date is not enough. Employers should continue to monitor operator performance and provide additional or refresher training sooner where necessary. This may be appropriate following an accident or near miss, where unsafe working practices are identified, after a period away from operating, or where there have been significant changes to the equipment or working environment.
Many employers therefore choose to schedule refresher training at 3–5 year intervals, alongside ongoing monitoring and risk assessment. Your own risk assessment, company policy and any requirements imposed by your insurer may mean that refresher training should take place more frequently.
In the event of a workplace accident or incident, an employer may be required to demonstrate that appropriate steps had been taken to ensure the operator was adequately trained and remained competent. Maintaining appropriate training records and providing refresher training where necessary can therefore form an important part of demonstrating effective management of MHE safety.
The duration of refresher training should also be sufficient to properly assess the operator and address any shortcomings or unsafe habits identified. HSE guidance indicates that refresher training of less than one day is unlikely to be effective. At CDR Training, we can also help you manage this process. We maintain records of the training we provide and can contact you when refresher training is recommended, helping you plan ahead and keep your operators’ training and competence under review.
Is it necessary for me to keep records for my qualified and certificated operators?
Yes. Following training, CDR Training will provide comprehensive training records for each candidate, including a Certificate of Training, an Instructor’s Report Sheet detailing the candidate’s course results and any recommendations made by the instructor, and a Training Record Confirmation outlining the subjects covered during the course.
We will also help you keep on top of your ongoing training requirements by maintaining a record of the training we have provided and contacting you when refresher training is recommended, helping you to plan ahead and keep your operators’ training up to date.
Is CDR Training Ltd accredited?
Yes, we are accredited with RTITB and undergo ongoing audits to ensure compliance with the standard of their accreditation. RTITB are members of the ABA (Association of Accrediting Bodies)
What determines the length of a workplace equipment training course?
The duration of a workplace equipment training course will depend on several factors, including the type and complexity of equipment, the candidate’s previous experience, the number of candidates being trained and the applicable training standard or accreditation requirements.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) requires employers to ensure that anyone using work equipment has received adequate training, including the methods that should be used, the risks involved and the precautions that need to be taken.
For accredited training, course content and recommended durations are also determined by the relevant training standards. At CDR Training, we follow RTITB and recognised industry/ABA guidance, taking into account the candidate-to-instructor ratio and whether candidates are novice, experienced, refresher or conversion operators.
We will always recommend that employers follow the appropriate recognised training guidance. Course durations are designed to allow sufficient time for the required theoretical instruction, practical training and assessment to be completed properly – rather than simply trying to complete training in the shortest possible time.
Forklift operator training is also supported by specific HSE guidance contained within Approved Code of Practice and Guidance L117 – Rider-operated lift trucks: Operator training and safe use. This provides guidance on operator training, competence, authorisation, supervision and the safe use of lift trucks.
For further information, you can read L117 directly on the HSE website.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/lift-truck-training.htm
Once my operators have completed their training, will they receive a license?
There is no such thing as a license to operate a forklift. Many people refer to their certificate of basic training as a “license”, but this is not the case. The certificate that is issued to successful candidates after a training course is properly known as a “Certificate of Training” and is usually accepted as proof that the holder has attended a training course and passed the forklift test. Successful candidates trained by CDR will receive a certificate of training as well as an instructor’s report sheet detailing their course results and also any recommendations made by the trainer, along with a training record confirmation which details the subjects covered on the training course.
Do my forklift operators have to wear a seat belt on a forklift?
Yes. Where a forklift truck is fitted with a seat belt or other operator restraint system, it should be used.
Seat belts are an important safety feature designed to help keep the operator within the protective structure of the truck, particularly in the event of an overturn. Attempting to jump from an overturning forklift can result in the operator being trapped or crushed between the truck and the ground.
Employers should not rely on operator training alone. They should have appropriate procedures in place to ensure seat belts are worn, monitor and supervise their use, and take action where operators repeatedly fail to follow safe working procedures.
Operators also have a responsibility to follow the training and instructions they have been given and to use the safety equipment provided.
As part of their pre-use checks, operators should check that the seat belt or restraint system is in good condition and working correctly. Any defects should be reported and dealt with in accordance with the company’s procedures before the truck is used.
There can be limited circumstances where a risk assessment identifies an alternative approach, but this should not be treated as a general exemption from wearing a seat belt. For normal forklift operations, if a restraint system is fitted, operators should use it.
Do operators who use pallet trucks require training?
Yes. There can sometimes be confusion around whether formal training is required for pallet trucks, particularly simple pedestrian-operated or manual equipment. However, employers still have a legal responsibility to ensure that anyone using work equipment has received adequate training for its safe use.
Regulation 9 of PUWER requires employers to ensure that anyone who uses work equipment receives adequate training, including the methods by which the equipment should be used, the risks its use may entail and the precautions that should be taken.
This applies to pallet trucks too. While the level and duration of training should be appropriate to the type and complexity of equipment being used, employers should not assume that a pallet truck is safe to operate without training simply because it appears straightforward.
Powered pallet trucks in particular can be extremely heavy even unladen and have the potential to cause serious crushing and impact injuries, particularly to the feet, ankles and legs of operators and pedestrians.
Appropriate training helps operators understand not only how to operate the equipment correctly, but also how to recognise hazards, handle loads safely, carry out appropriate pre-use checks and work safely around pedestrians and other workplace traffic.
If an employee has a counterbalance FLT certificate of training, does that mean they can drive other types of mechanical handling equipment?
No. The training which they received on the counterbalance FLT is only valid for that type of machine. If you wish them to operate other equipment, then you will need to provide further training for that specific equipment. Each truck/equipment type requires its own certificate of training.
What is the minimum age for operating a forklift?
Lift-truck operators should be over the minimum school leaving age (MSLA)