LEGAL REQUIREMENTS FOR FORKLIFT SAFETY
If you operate a fork lift truck, you have legal Obligation to ensure that you hold a valid Report of Thorough Examination. This applies whether you own, hire or lease the truck
Failing to comply can have serious consequences for you and your business: you could be prosecutes, your insurance could be invalidated, or worst of al, you could be responsible for a serious accident due to unsafe equipment. DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU.
Is Thorough Examination a legal requirement, like MOT for cars?
Yes. It is required under two pieces of health and safety legislation.
LOLER 98 (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998) – which covers lifting components
POWER 98 (Provision and use of Work Equipment Regulations1998)-
This deals with all other safety related items, such as brakes, steering and tyres.
As a user of fork lift equipment, what are my obligations?
Every truck you have in service, including hired trucks, must have a current
Report of Thorough Examination. This is akin to the MOT certificate.
(The only exceptions are brand new trucks, although these must be subject to Thorough Examination at some point within a year of their acquisition)
The document must be headed Report of Thorough Examination.
It must comply with the schedule 1 of LOLER 98.
You must be able to produce it when required to do so by an enforcement officer.
The responsibility for obtaining a Report of Thorough Examination lies with you, the user of the truck (whether you own lease or hire). The only exception maybe for a truck operating under a short term contract of less than a year, in which case the hiring company should provide you with a copy of the current Report of Thorough Examination.
How often must a Thorough Examination be carried out?
At least ever 12 months. Depending on the application, the intensity of use and the nature of attachments, the regulations may require this interval to be reduced to 6 months or even 4.
The person carrying out the Thorough Examination – the ‘Competent Person’ – will be able to determine the appropriate interval.
The same person should also be consulted for advice on whether planned changes to the truck’s operation or configuration will alter this interval.