Posted By renown My boss wishes to use one of our experienced fork lift drivers to carry out in-house fork lift training. The 'trainer' has his certificates for reach and counterbalance trucks, but is this enough to carry out training of new staff? Thanks in anticipation Regards dh

Posted By Jerry Lucey The Road Transport and Industry Training Board and the Independant Training Standards Scheme and Register carry out 10-day courses for prospective lift truck instructors/ examiners. Having been on both registers at different times I have found the RTITB course more practicable based with the ITSSAR course being more theory based. I feel that either would adequately equip an individual to train lift truck operators. Those attending these courses need to be a qualified/ certified lift truck operator for a specified period of time prior to attending the course. There is a requirement with both organisations to undertake a refresher every five years in order to remain on the register. This qualifies instructor/ examiners to carry out inhouse training. Those operating on a commercial basis need to be accreditated by the RTITB which would involve courses and training facilities being scruitinised by the accreditated body. To the best of my knowledge there is a similar scheme run by the Association of Industrial Truck Trainers on behalf of ITSSAR. Regards, Jerry

Posted By warderic There is no requirement to have a qualified instructor carryout FLT training. However, guidance and the ACOP require FLT operators to be properly trained. Although a code of practice is not law it can be used as evidence. You must ask yourself "If one of your operators had an accident and the HSE were involved, how would you prove that they were properly trained?" Answer: you would find it difficult, if not impossible, if the instructor himself was not trained and registered as an RTITB instructor. Eric