Rank: Forum user 
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Hi. I have just completed a RA for the routine use of the forklift truck at my company. We are a small company with 4 FLT users and its used about 1-2 times a week or less. Apart from the routine use risk assessment what other documentation should i create for use of FLT, should this be addressed under specific lifting plans or a specific SSOW and method statement? the more i read about it the more confused i get.
Bieng a small company and only 4 users i am not sure who should be appointed as supervisor (no one has significant experience over others).
Another question is about periodic assessments of the FLT users, not having a supervisor who would be able to conduct these?
finally how frequently do you run occupational health checks of forklift users at your company? (all users are under 45 years old and no routine health assessments in place). thanks
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Rank: Super forum user
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Hello. The forklifts need to be checked before use everyday that they are used. The operator can carry out this check and there are many exmaples of forklift checklists online (and normally within the FLT training as well) If they have no attachments for lifting people they can be tested by a competent person (under LOLER) every 12 months. The driver does not count as being "lifted". Any lifting equipment that is used in the lifting of people (cages for example) must be inspected every 6 months. Most people use an external company for this, usually the same company that you have a service agreement with (although sometimes as part of the checks done by the nominated company from your insurance). Whilst FLT licenses aren't "law" as such, I would recommend you still insist that all drivers have one. These should be renewed every 3-5 years, or sooner if feel it is necessary (for example after an accident or if a driver is showing signs of lapsing their knowledge. As a company you need to also keep a log of people that have authorisation to use the FLTs. Just because they are able, doesn't mean thay can use them. The directors have the final say on who is allowed to drive one. A license is not proof of competence, and only competent people can drive a FLT. Any risk assessment should then show the above controls. Beyond that you need to have in place other controls based on your premisies. For example methods of segregating the workforce from the FLT. Your risk assesssment/method statement can include details of your lifting plan. For example stretchwrapping items on pallets before moving them, depending on what you are moving. If it is something more complicated than pallets then I would recommend you do a more detailed lifting plan.
If you are just using a standard key for the forklift, as most low usage companies do, I would suggest you have a key box that the key is returned to when the forklift is not being used. You can then limit those that have access to the key. I am sure I have forgotten something. Others are more knowledgable then I. Hopefully this is enough to get you started though. Feel free to pm me for more details of how we manage our forklifts.
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 1 user thanked CptBeaky for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Oh, I forgot health surveillance. Currently the HSE does not require any specific medical fitness tests to drive a FLT. If they are fit to drive a car (under the DVLA group 1) then they can drive a FLT. This is assuming that you are not driving them in particularly hazardous conditions (at night, in a cold store etc.). If it is more hazardous then you would need Group 2.
Going on from this, and with the low frequency of use I suspect you don't need to worry about health surveillance for this. Monitor the drivers though. Speak to them frequently regarding any issues caused by driving the FLT. I am sure they will soon tell you if the bumpy yard is casuing them discomfort. (also as a disclaimer to a point raised in my previous post, cages are only to be used for non-routine work. For example changing a single lightbulb. For routine work MEWPs (for example) should be used.)
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1 user thanked CptBeaky for this useful post.
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