Get to grips with Thorough Examination

Geoff Martin, chairman of CFTS, says: “Let’s make one thing clear. Simply carrying out a LOLER inspection does not comply fully with HSE guidelines. They require that those responsible for overseeing forklift operations must embrace the requirements of both LOLER 98 and PUWER 98. 

“Put simply, it means making sure your steering, brakes, transmission, etc, are checked, as well the mast and other lifting parts. Yet frequently those additional checks are simply not carried out.”

According to Martin, not all Thorough Examinations are the same and, to prove the point, visitors to the CFTS stand will be invited to test their knowledge and spot the differences in an entertaining, interactive game. 

“Another important differentiator between a CFTS Thorough Examination and most others is what happens after the inspection in the case of a non-compliance,” continues Martin. 

“Most inspectors’ involvement ends with identifying a problem, leaving you to side-line the truck until someone can get out to fix it.

“In complete contrast, because CFTS-accredited companies employ fully trained forklift engineers to carry out the Thorough Examination, at the conclusion of the examination they can actually remedy any faults. 

“In many ways, it’s exactly what you’d expect when you take your car in for its MOT. However, this is by no means standard practice. In our view it is essential that the customer stays safe and on the right side of the law, but also remains operational.” 

Visitors to stand 6F212 can also identify their nearest CFTS-accredited provider on the CFTS  mega-map (which shows all 400+ companies and their locations) or, if a visit to IMHX is out of the question, they can be found at: http://www.thoroughexamination.org www.thoroughexamination.org.