Maintaining safety standards in the workplace is incredibly important, with training from certified courses increasingly becoming a requirement rather than a recommendation. If you ensure that you, as an individual or your workforce as a group, can comply with on-site regulations, you will not only see an increase in confidence, but also an improvement in efficiency. Not only will these courses teach safety, but they will also pass on the knowledge of how to carry out a task in the correct way, saving valuable time and energy in an industry where time is money! Charles Wilson Engineers Ltd have outlined their forklift training and PASMA training courses below.
Forklifts are extremely powerful pieces of equipment, and the improper use of such machinery by an inadequately trained driver could mean damage, injuries or loss of life in a matter of moments. Although forklifts are generally not travelling at speed, their sheer weight and overbearing scale can be misleading. It is all too easy to lose sight of objects or people due to the bulky forklift itself obstructing your view.
A forklift at full capacity, along with the weight of the counterbalance, can reach 6000 kg in weight, and an average forklift that is unloaded weighs around 2500 kg , equally the weight of 4 average sized family cars! It is, therefore, unsurprising that even at slow travel speed it can inflict serious harm and become a dangerous machine when being driven by someone without complete control and confidence.
Forklift training is a vital component in workplace safety and is something that is often overlooked by both employers and employees. The power of a forklift should not be underestimated, and without proper training can do more harm, or damage, than good. Forklift trucks are specifically designed to manoeuvre heavy loads around confined spaces, so it’s important to note that their characteristics differ from those of a regular vehicle. Their shape, weight distribution and size are all factors to consider, and whether they are loaded or unloaded will drastically alter their performance. Safely manoeuvring such machines with accurate and efficient results requires skills that can only be accrued through thorough training and practice.
Forklift training will cover:
Equipment Checks
All forklift equipment will need to be extensively inspected regularly to ensure that it is fit for operational use and complies with safety standards. Formal inspections carried out are generally similar to the MOT checks undergone for a roadworthy motor vehicle. Alongside these formal regulations, drivers must routinely investigate the machinery to make sure that it meets safety standards in the workplace.
Maneuvering
When it comes to forklift training, the most challenging aspect for one to achieve confidence in is the manoeuvring of the large vehicle in tight and restricted areas. Although it may seem like a relatively easy task, it takes great precision and control to confidently manoeuvre a large piece of machinery without causing danger to others around you, or to yourself. It is also important not to damage your surroundings, which means that navigating small spaces without catching kerbs or walls is crucial.
Cargo Control
Initially, you must learn to navigate without carrying a load, and once confident, you will progress to manoeuvring the machinery with varying weights of objects at varying heights. Training is entirely necessary in order to allow drivers to logistically move cargo safely and will include such things as stacking and unstacking cargo, load balancing, smooth fork controls, and moving with a loaded fork.
Counterbalances are often taken for granted by new forklift drivers, but there are many things to think about in preventing a forklift from tipping over. The machinery is designed to be counterbalanced at full load weight capacity, so manoeuvring at this point shouldn’t be a problem. Difficulties arise when the machine is empty or overloaded, and drivers must be equipped to deal with these issues should they arise.
PASMA Training – Prefabricated Access Suppliers and Manufacturers Association
PASMA is the UK’s leading body, responsible for the safe use of all workplace aluminium and fibreglass tower structures and is often the only certified programme to be accepted on site. Thousands of delegates undergo this course annually, and in many cases entire workforces are requested to complete the courses to comply with site safety regulations.
The PASMA Standard Course/Towers for Users
This course is aimed at individuals who will be responsible for assembling, striking, dismantling, transporting and inspecting mobile access towers. Those attending the course will receive a booklet and PASMA code of practice , along with a certified PASMA qualification and photo ID, also known as a PASMA licence. This is valid at the relevant level for 5 years.
The PASMA Low-Level Access Course
Aimed at users who need to be capable in folding towers and podium steps with platform applications of 2.5m or below, this course incorporates theoretical instruction and practical sessions with supporting assessments. In this intense course, the delegate will teach competence in assembly, striking and dismantling, use, maneuvering, and inspection of low-level prefabricated access units. This course covers personnel who not only work in construction, but also workplaces including schools, offices and factories, where low-level tower uses are required.
The PASMA Training Combined Course
Combining both the Standard course and the Low-level course, this option fulfills a thorough and knowledgeable level of capabilities within both of the areas mentioned in the above descriptions.
The PASMA Towers For Managers Course
This course consists of a minimum of 6 hours of classroom-based knowledge building. The course aims to instruct a person of management position on what is required in order to prepare for and oversee a safely coordinated task involving mobile access towers that is properly planned and organised. The course covers, in detail, all of the necessary legislation, regulations, standards of practice, implementing best practice, and the management of a team and task requiring work with a mobile access tower or mobile access towers.
Both forklift training and PASMA training courses are highly beneficial, and often required in the workplace. If you are an employee looking to progress with further qualifications, or an employer aiming to keep your workforce up to date with current training standards, then please get in touch with Charles Wilson Engineers Ltd today to discuss the various courses that we can provide. If you would like further information on how the training courses could benefit you or your employers, simply contact us on 01582 763 122. Alternatively, fill out our contact form and we will respond as soon as possible.
