Posted By Julie Watson Hello I'm having a bit of a problem with keys being left in forklift's, the management are saying it is ok because everybody who works on the shop floor has a forklift licence and they say it is a secure site, but I think if I can get on a forklift and drive it who else can??? They are willing to put boxes for the keys in the forklifts but I still dont agree with this as I think keys should be issued to the drivers. I need as much help as I can get on this!!! Julie

Posted By Tom Clark Hi Julie What is the last thing a trainee does when they finish the test for forktruck driving? They must remove the keys or have penalty points awarded against them. Why? This is to ensure that no unauthorised driver can access the vehicle. I know you can get the situation where keys go walkabout, perhaps a device where operators have a code to punch in before the vehicle can be started would do the trick. This would obviously cost extra though. Hope this helps. Tom

Posted By alex mccreadie Very recently a lorry driver arrived on site no one about so used the forklift turned it over was injured company fined heavily. I am sure this was reported in the SHP. Secure site or not unauthorised use would leave the company liable in the event of an accident.

Posted By Andrew Barton Julie, If you would like to focus managers minds on their responsibilities with regard to this scenario - suggest you find a copy of Outtakes 'One Wrong Move' video. This 10min video highlights an accident at a site following keys being left in an FLT and unauthorised use resulting in injury. Both the site and the works manager were prosecuted. Andy.

Posted By Kevin McAleer Hi Julie, I suggest you get a copy of the HSC Booklet Safety in Working with Lift Trucks. HSG(6) para 71. (You can download from the HSE Website. Get your drivers/operators to read, especially about Key Security, the advice is to remove and secure keys for FLTs when not in use. Use this as part of REFRESHER TRAINING/or TOOL BOX TALKS. Our Keys are kept in a secure keybox when the FLT is not in use. Hope this helps. Kevin

Posted By Merv Newman I know of at least one site where they "lost" a Fork lift. They are pretty sure it went off in the back of a lorry, but they could never find out which one. How much does one cost ?

Posted By David Bannister I recall an incident some years ago when a delivery driver used an unattended FLT during lunch break at a retail depot. Result was a fatal collapse of the load, killing drivers mate. Prosecution and civil claims were very costly, in both pure financial and time terms, added to trauma of many involved. I now advise drivers have keys, not vehicles. What about keys on lanyards to drivers belts as a low cost solution?

Posted By Alexander Falconer We had a similar scenario a few years back Not sure if this is the case in your company, however all our forklift trucks (approx 22 off) are operated by the same key. All our drivers (and only qualified drivers) are issued with a numbered key, which they sign for on commencement of employment or gaining their qualification. If any unattended forklift has a key left in the ignition, members of our supervisory & management team have the authority to remove and hand in to the Safety & Transport Managers. Its quite simple to carry out a traceability check to see who the key belongs to, disciplinary action follows for breach of safety rules. This key is removed if they leave the company or fail their re-assessment Needless to say, simple but effective and at a cost of £3 per duplicate key. PS, Only 2 keys have been removed from unattended FLT's in 18 months (and that was at the start)

Posted By George Wedgwood Having had the experience of trying to demonstrate to the HSE that we had "management control" of FLT keys and failed, we immediately actioned an investigation in to methods of helping achieve this. We settled on the "didBOX" programmable touch key by Actiserve Ltd - see website at http://www.actiserve.net...icle-safety.shtml#didbox - and looked at others such as the swipe card mentioned, but chose didBOX as cheap, simple to fit & operate and effective if a procedure is written to help ensure everyone issued with one is competent and logged as such, takes ownweship of the electronic key on pain of disciplinary process, and keeps it on their person at all times (use a retractible key fob). They can then leave the normal key in the 'ignition' and start the FLT only with the special key. One specific criterion is that the drivers must always switch off before getting out of the FLT, again on pain of disciplinary action. The HSE were happy and went away and the system looks like it is operating well, with the local manager happy! Having specified that all new FLTs purchases are so fitted, we are now busy now looking at how best to retro-fit a fleet of our mobile plant over a loonger period. George

Posted By Gerry Knowles The issue of forklift keys is an ongoing issue and it is down to the disipline of the drivers. The only way apart from a weekly public flogging of getting round this issue is to fit a system like trucklog which requires driver to input a PIN number befor the truck will activate. You can find trucklog on the net. Gerry Knowles PS I don't represent the trucklog company or any of its agents. I just think it is an excellent system for managing an internal transport fleet.

Posted By Ian Lumsden Hi Julie, No key should be left on the lift truck, if it is it might as well be in the ignition and turned on. If an untrained operator was to get on the truck and be injured then the management will be held accountable for not ensuring safe systems of work. Regards, Ian Lumsden RTITB. Instructor / Examiner