In this Summer 2007 IVES Update Newsletter edition we’ll talk about our new aerial lift operator reference manuals, an ask bob question on practical evaluations, accident reports, WA State Rodeo, Digital Training Aids, remote-controlled forklifts, speed shield, and a team profile on Rob Vetter.
Aerial Lift Operator Reference Manuals – A User’s Guide
The new operator reference manuals for aerial lifts have been in circulation for about 6 months and, generally speaking, the feedback from those of you on the front line has been very good. However, as it is with most revisions of this magnitude, there have been a few hiccups and minor errors noted along the way, and as expected, some are finding the transition from old to new challenging.
Based on feedback we have gathered from some trainers using the new materials in the field, here are some commonly noted issues—and, hopefully, some solutions.
Issue: The new manuals take too long to cover.
Solutions:
- Pre-read the manual – Make sure your trainees receive, read and complete the manuals before the actual training date. Trainees able to do this usually come to the program with more knowledge, as they tend to study the manual more completely and look up the answers to their own questions. This will help facilitate the flow in the classroom, as trainees will only seek clarification on issues that they were unable to resolve on their own and not on every little thing that comes to mind as you review the book.
- Cover relevant information – Each of the manuals covers a wide range of information relative to all aerial lifts, some of which may not be relevant in your operation. If your aerial lift is a battery-powered slab-type unit, then you do not need to spend a lot of time covering engines, liquid fuels/fueling or pneumatic tires. I wouldn’t recommend you skip them entirely, but avoid going into great depth on those topics.
- Choose your review questions – There are a number of review questions, usually 10, following each chapter. As in the situation above (electric-powered slab-type unit), each and every chapter review question may not be relevant to your particular situation. It may be very beneficial for you to decide beforehand which of these questions are most appropriate for the program and cover only those selected.
Issue: There is too much text information to cover in the classroom.
Solutions:
- We do not recommend (nor have we ever) that every word in an operator reference manual be read during its review in the classroom—in fact, we discourage it. Remember that the chapter review questions will hit most of the main topics within each chapter. By using these questions as your review tool and referring back to the relative text and/or graphics as needed, you can get away from reading the book line by line, make the program more interesting and move things along in a timely manner.
- Again, remember to talk about issues that are relevant; there is no point in spending an extended period of time discussing pothole protection if your unit doesn’t have it.
Issue: I don’t have all the answers to the chapter review questions.
Solution:
- With rare exception, the answer to each and every chapter review question is found within the text of the manual. In some cases, however, the answer cannot be directly quoted from the text but is conveyed conceptually. In other words, the answer is in the knowledge and understanding of the concept(s) covered rather than actual text. However, if you need help finding answers, just contact us and we will most certainly help you out.
Issue: The manual contains things that I have never heard of but am supposed to cover.
Solution:
- Although the new manuals contain plenty of information that the old ones didn’t, there really aren’t any new items introduced that were not covered before within the context of an operator program—at least we hope there isn’t. The only difference is that those topics are now detailed in the new manuals so that they may be referenced after the program(s). On the other hand, there may be systems, devices, etc. that your aerial lift is equipped with that are not covered in the manuals. This is a situation where the manufacturer’s operating manual can be very useful, not to mention your personal reference/resource: IVES!
- On that note, we encourage you to call and call often. Don’t be too afraid or proud to ask for any help that you need to properly do your job as a trainer. Remember, we are here to help.
Change is never easy, but it is necessary. In our particular industry, change is a fact of life that happens with alarming frequency and magnitude, but we have to accept and adapt to change, because if we do not, people could die.
Ask Bob
Bob,
After a person completes and passes their theory test, how long is the trainee valid to train before a practical must be commenced? Three months or one year?
Edward
Dear Edward,
My personal preference is to commence with practical training immediately after the theory test is successfully completed. If that cannot be done, then it really should begin within one week. Keep in mind, however, that the trainee should not be operating the equipment in the meantime unless they are under the direct supervision of a qualified trainer.
Bob
Dear Bob,
Where can I find if an aerial lift has a mandatory 3-year requalification period for operators?
Randy
Hello Randy,
You will not currently find a 3-year re-qualification for aerial lift operators; however, IVES Training does recommend it in the interest of safety. In addition, the recently revised ANSI/SIA A92.5 and A92.6 standards do contain wording that calls for operator re-training based on the “user’s” (employer’s) observation and evaluation of the operator.
Bob
BC Forklift Rally Returns
After the last rally in October 2005, the Canadian Material Handling & Distributors’ Society (CMH&DS) delayed the 10th annual event until a suitable facility was located. On May 5 it was mission accomplished as the BC Championship Forklift Rally returned with over 35 competitors in three separate divisions. Counterbalanced, stand-up (narrow aisle) reach and powered pallet truck met at the Cloverdale Fairgrounds, the new permanent home of the rally, to get down to business.
Contestants wound their way through the extremely tight course under the watchful eye of IVES’ course designers and judges until three winners emerged from each division. They were:
Counterbalanced
1st – Manni Samra – Best Buy
2nd – Andre Volkow – Summit Logistics
3rd – Gary Siu – London Drugs
Narrow Aisle
1st – James Ralphs – London Drugs
2nd – Jon Blackburn – Wallace & Carey
3rd – Angelo Balatsas – Toyota Canada
Pallet Truck
1st – Mark Kielpinski – Wallace & Carey
2nd – Chris Bronson – VersaCold/Cliveden
3rd – Ryan Korolischuk – Wallce & Carey
Best Team
Mark Kielpinski, Ryan Korolischuk & Kulwant Dhillon – Wallace & Carey
Accident Reports
Stand-up Forklift Operator Dies of Injuries
A 41-year-old man died from injuries sustained in an accident while operating a stand-up forklift in a distribution center when it crashed into another stand-up forklift manned by another employee, according to the company’s vice president of corporate and marketing communications. One of the forks from the other forklift struck his leg below the knee, she said. Whether the other forklift was in motion at the time of the crash is uncertain.
Other employees with first-aid training applied pressure to the victim’s leg to stem the bleeding until ambulance personnel arrived. He had massive blood loss on the scene. Because of the collapse of the circulatory system, they weren’t able to get any IVs started on him while en route (to the hospital). He went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, was resuscitated and underwent surgery, where doctors amputated his leg. He had suffered a brain injury, however, because of a lack of oxygen to his brain due to the massive blood loss and had been on mechanical breathing since the incident.
“(The victim) was a valued employee who had been with the company for just under eight years,” said a local press release. “Our thoughts and prayers are with (his) family and all those affected by this tragic event. We’ve never had a fatality at work and hopefully never will again.”
[Forks are deadly at any height – Ed.]
Employee of Sand, Gravel Company Crushed By Loader
A man was killed at a sand and gravel company when an employee began operating a front-end loader, not knowing his co-worker was under the machinery. The victim, 63, was pronounced dead at the scene after he was crushed by the large tires of the front-end loader.
The local Sheriff’s Department said there was nothing to suggest that the death was anything other than “a tragic accident.”
“He was performing maintenance on the equipment, but no one knew he was under there,” a witness said. “A truck showed up to get a load of sand or gravel, so an employee started up the front-end loader so he could take care of the customer. What is so sad is that everyone here is family. They’re all related.” As is customary at the site, the driver called out to warn that he was going to start up the loader, but the victim didn’t indicate he was under the equipment.
WA State Eastern Regional Forklift Rodeo in the Books
The 2007 forklift rodeo season kicked off June 16 in Pasco, WA with 27 competitors vying for the title of Eastern Regional Champ and a shot to go to the State Final in Tacoma, WA this September. As usual, IVES Training was on hand providing the judging, course design and testing to challenge the best in the West.
The weather and the competition were hot as the talented field of operators twisted and turned through the precision driving course. Contestants new to the event and several old hands wowed spectators with their amazing skills while event volunteers kept everyone’s bellies full with BBQ hotdogs and burgers. At the end of it all, Julian Torres of Lamb Westin emerged as the overall winner with Adam Bruce of Railex taking second place and Clinton Bruce of Railex rounding things off in third.
The quest for the best continues July 28 in Spokane and again on August 18, where the top five competitors from each regional event will win the opportunity to challenge for the title of State Champion in Tacoma this September. It’s not too late to register yourself or someone you know.
Digital Training Aids Have Arrived!
Those of you that have been patiently waiting for the arrival of IVES new Digital Training Aids (DTA) need wait no longer. This new visual training aid is a stunning collection of the most accurate and colorful imagery on the market today. Designed specifically to complement our counterbalanced forklift, aerial boomlift, scissor lift and aerial lifts (combined boom and scissor) operator reference manuals, we think you’ll agree that these DTAs are the ultimate visual aid. Each disc contains scores of images formatted in both Microsoft PowerPoint and Adobe PDF, as well as the appropriate reader software for each program, and a Trainer’s Companion Guide to help you navigate the many frames that we’re sure will add an unparalleled vibrant dimension to your operator training programs. Order your TA today and take your training to another level with outstanding visual accompaniment that you simply will not find anywhere but at IVES.
New Stuff!
We’ve been busy sourcing and developing lots of new products to help you deliver the best training possible. Following are some new items we carry, but be sure to visit our website at www.ivestraining.com to see everything.
Remote-controlled Forklifts Now Available!
Every trainer knows the value of a good visual training aid. Just imagine how the benefits of a powered working model could help clarify and/or reinforce the proper operation of a forklift—before leaving the classroom! This fully functioning radio-controlled forklift comes with a wireless remote control, two boxes, two pallets, four traffic cones and features:
- 3 forward speeds and 1 reverse.
- Lifting, lowering and tilting mast movements.
- Lighted indicators on forklift and transmitter.
- 60° steer wheels turn radius.
- 80-foot wireless range.
IVES Instructor Shirts
Wear your IVES Certified Trainer badge with pride with these high quality polo shirts. Made of 6.4 oz, 100% smooth cotton fabric, they will stand up to anything you can throw at them without wrinkling, shrinking or fading. Complete with a pen pocket on the left sleeve and no-roll collar, these durable and comfortable shirts will enhance your professional image in the classroom and in the field.
Speedshield: The Ultimate Monitoring System for Forklifts & Industrial Vehicles
Although many damage- and injury-producing incidents can be avoided by using properly trained operators, the Speedshield system provides an additional level of safety by constantly monitoring and, if necessary, reacting to the actions of the operators. Speedshield also helps reduce operating costs associated with fuel consumption, tire wear, and emissions by offering centralized management of vehicle control parameters and performance information including:
- Speed & acceleration control.
- Logic-based driver restraint and handbrake interlocks.
- Curve control.
- Driver verification (card reader or keypad).
- Lift height-sensing speed reduction.
- Power-down timer.
- Impact sensing.
- Bluetooth local communications.
- Data recording.
- Load weighing.
- Monitoring and recording of engine vitals.
There are also a number of optional features available, such as:
- GPS/RFID zoned speed control.
- Transmission control.
- GSM server-based reporting & control.
- GPS position feedback.
Maintaining the operational procedures learned and demonstrated during a training program is a difficult but necessary task. Let Speedshield help you to monitor your mobile equipment operations and keep those procedures fresh in the minds of your operators.
Team Member Profile: Rob Vetter
“When I went through the IVES program in 1993 and became a certified instructor, I knew I had found my calling,” says Rob Vetter, IVES’ current Technical Director. “They say that time flies when you’re having fun, and as I look back on an 11-year career with IVES, I couldn’t agree more—it’s been a blast.”
Rob started with IVES as a contract instructor in September 1996 and has never looked back. He quickly garnered a reputation in the field as a passionate and energetic instructor, and to those fortunate enough to see him work, it was obvious that he loved his work.
“I became very aware and respectful of safety after losing a very good friend to an industrial accident when I was 19. I learned at a very young age that, contrary to my beliefs, I was not bullet proof. I don’t remember much detail about that horrible time now except one thing, the sound of his parents wailing at his funeral service. That was more than enough for me to get the message loud and clear, and carry it forward.”
In January 2000, Rob joined IVES’ corporate staff and climbed the ranks to his current position of Technical Director. Despite his success within the company, Rob is ever mindful of where he came from and attributes his success largely to those around him.
“I learned the ropes from the best of the best: the original players like Grant Mackenzie, Ron Elliot, and of course my hero, Colin Ives. I remember being in a room with those guys and others like Wally Adams and thinking to myself, what the hell am I doing here? I can’t hold a candle to these guys! But for some reason they took me under their collective wing, and I think I learned more nuts-and-bolts stuff from those guys within two years than I had in my entire life leading up to that time.”
Outside of work, Rob enjoys having fun with his wife Michelle and two kids Sondra and Curtis, tinkering with his boat, in and out of the water, and playing/listening to “good” music. “Depending on my mood, I enjoy listening to anything from AC/DC to Rossini, but when it comes to playing, well, let’s just say my range is not so wide ranging.” Another CCR tune anyone?
What’s Your Instructor IQ?
Test your knowledge by answering the following:
- A fulcrum point is:
a) The point where a lever will balance in all directions.
b) The point where an object’s weight is concentrated.
c) The point where a lever pivots.
d) The point where center of gravity is located.
- The best way to encourage quiet trainees to participate in the classroom is:
a) Get them to read something out of their operator manual.
b) Ask their opinion on a given topic.
c) Call them to the front of the class to assist you in demonstration.
d) Wait for them to choose to participate on their own.
Check out the next edition of the Ives Update for the answers. Good luck!
Answers to “What’s Your Instructor IQ?” (Spring Edition 2007)
- In addition to being trained, evaluated, and found competent, what must an operator receive before using any mobile equipment?
a) A valid driver’s license.
b) A medical fitness test.
c) Authorization from the employer.
d) The manufacturer’s operating manual.
- If an operator does not check the equipment’s service brakes during a practical evaluation, you should:
a) Stop and ask him/her about it at an appropriate time.
b) Mark it down on the evaluation form and continue.
c) Stop the evaluation immediately.
d) Tell him/her to check the brakes.
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