It used to be stipulated that refresher training was required periodically. This was left to the employer to decide how long periodically should be. This has now been changed to the guidance of at least every 5 years.
Even though this worker has experience it is 15 years since his last refresher and therefore is well overdue. Experienced workers will often benefit from refresher training as they will develop bad habits as seen in all drivers of FLT's, cars etc.
I would also suspect that your insurers would be concerned that this hasn't taken place.
If i were in your position i would insist on refresher training either by the employee as an agency worker or through your own systems.
Colin Parry

As I understand employment law the agency is responsible for the training.

Rich

Please refer to para 47, Rider operated lift trucks. Operator training. Approved Code of Practice and Guidance at HSE Books

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l117.pdf


Para 47 has the status of Guidance :_-

It states that :-

.......there is no specific requirement to provide refresher training after set intervals, but even trained and experience lift-truck operators need to be reassessed from time to time to ensure that they continue to operate lift trucks safely. This assessment, which should form part of a firm’s normal monitoring procedure and be formally timetabled to ensure that it is done at reasonable intervals, will indicate whether any further training is needed. In addition to routine safety monitoring, reassessment might be appropriate where operators have not used trucks for some time, are occasional users, appear to have developed unsafe working practices, have had an accident or near miss, or there is a change in their working practices or environment. Employers may find it useful to record reassessment in their safety monitoring records. Employers can, of course, decide that automatic retraining after a set period of time is the best way of ensuring that employees are adequately trained but, where this approach is adopted, it will still be necessary to monitor performance in case retraining is required before the set period ends.


The guiding principle is that employers need to maintain the competence of operators to use lift trucks safely through a laid down, formal process of monitoring and assessment.