Fight the fakes call

A business leader has called for effective surveillance of the materials handling industry to protect workers from injury and even death.

John Meale, vice president of FEM, the European Materials Handling Federation, and md of Thorworld Industries, has said that unless regular inspections are introduced EU Directives and Regulations will continue to be undermined as counterfeit and noncompliant machinery floods the market from both inside and, more particularly, outside of the EU.

"Counterfeit products can be manufactured for significantly less than their European counterparts, making them very appealing to customers," said Meale. "But many don't meet even basic health and safety requirements."