This Fall 2009 IVES Update Newsletter edition covers Finding Your Groove, An Ask Bob question on cell phones and forklifts, talks on an US/Canada Forklift Competition, New French Materials, ASSE New Aerial Lift Standard, Revision Notices and accident reports.
Finding Your Groove
Have you ever noticed that the actual words spoken by comedians are not funny on their own? It’s the way that they say them that has people rolling in the aisles, and earns you blank stares when you try to repeat the jokes to your friends later. Comedians take the words and present them in such a way that makes them funny.
As a trainer, getting the odd laugh here and there is great, but what you are truly after is gaining the continued interest of your trainees and ultimately, understanding of the topic. The ongoing interest and active participation of a trainee is to a trainer what laughter is to a comedian. Like a comedian, a trainer must be able to take material that isn’t very interesting on its own, and make it interesting. Easy to say, but as I’m sure you will agree, it is much harder to do!
But how do we go about making things interesting? Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. The issue of losing or never gaining the interest of your trainees probably has more to do with something you are doing (or not doing) rather than the material itself. So, if your training programs are somewhat dull and you don’t want them to be, look inward for the answer because you won’t find it in any book. One of the most important pieces of information I try to get across to new trainers is, make it your own. To go back to the comedian analogy, those of you old enough to remember the late great Johnny Carson will recall that one of his greatest attributes was his ability to adjust and adapt to his audience. Did he ever bomb? Absolutely, but he made a career out of bombing. Watching Johnny tell a bad joke and then react to the audiences’ groans was priceless, and hilarious. He invented a brand of comedy that was unique to him and made it work. And most importantly, he always got what he wanted – he made the audience laugh.
In a similar vein, that is what a trainer must do; work on presenting the information in your own unique way. Your personality must be injected into the delivery. The material is what it is and there is nothing you can do about it, but you can do something about is how it is presented.
For example, I once attended a trainer skills program to sharpen my skills and keep me on my toes. There were five of us in the program and we all had to do several presentations. Two of my fellow students were assigned the topic of dirt biking safety, the motorized kind of dirt bike. The first item they had to cover was the importance of taking enough fuel along while dirt biking. The first fellow got up and opened with something like,
“When ever you plan a trip into the bush with your dirt bike, you need to bring enough fuel. How much you will need depends on several things like the fuel consumption of your engine, how far you plan to go, the terrain you expect to encounter, blah, blah, blah…..”
All good, accurate, and useful information – or so I was told because by the time he hit “terrain,” I was in REM sleep mode.
The next fellow got up and opened with, “Before you head into the bush with your bike, ask yourself if you want to ride back out, or walk.” Brilliant!
His opening did not contain anything that I would consider factual, but it did contain a hook that got my interest, and made me laugh – and that fact that I even remember it 12 years later speaks volumes to how effective it was.
I can’t tell you how to be interesting and I have no idea what makes people funny, but I can tell you that I have gotten interest and laughs from my trainees by hitting interesting topics and reacting to their feedback.
Try asking your next group what they think about things like seatbelt use, fall protection harnesses, or pedestrian right of way issues. Don’t ask them to recite regulations, try to get their opinion, and while you’re at it, make it easy for others to get involved by asking “Does everyone agree with that?” then ask why or why not. Most people like to talk, especially about something they know or like so, ask them what they know or like – just keep it on topic.
If you want to find your groove as a trainer and make your classes more interesting, you have to work on the timing and delivery of the material as much as anything else. Practice on family, friends or anyone that will listen. Stand in front of a mirror, record yourself, do whatever works for you but you’ve got to work on it or it just will not happen. Keep up on accident statistics, and any information that you can use to embellish your training. Expect to make mistakes but don’t dwell on them, learn from them and move on. Be ready to improvise when the “by the book” method isn’t working.Talk to your trainees as if you were talking with a friend (but keep it clean), let your personality come through.
Lighten up, don’t take things too seriously all of the time, and be ready to laugh – even at yourself. Strive to find balance between interest and entertainment, facilitating and lecturing, knowing and understanding. Above all, remember that to generate interest in what you are saying you must be interested in what you are saying and have a genuine desire to achieve your goal, just like Johnny did.
Rob Vetter
Director of Training
IVES Training Group
Ask Bob
Dear Bob,
Hi Bob. My Safety manager asked me if it is acceptable to operate a forklift while talking on the phone, my answer to him was “no”. Are there any regulations or recommendations from any agency regarding this? Thanks.
Jeff.
Hello Jeff,
I am not aware of any direct regulations on this issue however “General Duty” requirements may apply. If your company has identified using a cell phone while operating a forklift as a hazard, then action must be taken to eliminate or lessen the risk. In the absence of specific regulations, my advice is to have the company implement a policy prohibiting the practice and vigorously enforce it.
I hope this helps.
Bob.
Parlez-vous Français? (Do you speak French?)
As of October 1, 2009, French language operator reference manuals, re-certification study guides and notepads will be available for: counterbalanced forklift, narrow aisle forklift and powered pallet truck (pallet jack).
The French language is spoken in 36 countries throughout the world and even one US state (Louisiana). Like most languages spoken in different geographic regions, certain variations influenced by the local population of a given region do occur and affect how the language is spoken and understood. IVES French language operator training materials are developed to accommodate the French spoken in the Canadian province of Quebec commonly referred to as “Québécois.” Although this type of French is unique to the region, a French speaker from outside Quebec should be able to adjust with relatively little effort.
Talks Begin on US/Canada Forklift Competition
The Washington State Western Regional Forklift Rodeo took place on Saturday, August 22 in Seattle and this year, there was a special observer in the audience. John Gilder of the Canadian Materials Handling & Distributor’s Society (CMHDS), and no stranger to forklift competitions, was in attendance.
The CMHDS has been the driving force behind the BC Championship Forklift Rally since 1996, the same time that the Washington state forklift rodeos began.
“I guess IVES is the common link between both events,” says Rob Vetter of IVES Training Group.
“We have been working with both groups exclusively over the past 5 years providing all testing, judging and course designs. I had mentioned several times to the organizers on both sides of the border over the years how great it would be to get some kind of international, cross border competition going. This year John (Gilder) decided to take the first step in making it happen by meeting with the Washington state crew in person.”
Gilder feels the first step is to standardize the events. “We already use the same scoring program developed for the US events but there are other things we need to work on to get everyone on the same page,” he said. “We can’t be too far off though; Andy Ibbotson won this year’s Western Regional in Seattle and he also won the counterbalanced division of our BC Championship in Canada not too long ago.”
Dan Beer, Past President and current Board member of the CMHDS says.
“This would be a fantastic opportunity to promote safety on an international scale.”
On the US side, Washington State forklift rodeo officials Al Rainsberger and Mark Ribich are raring to go.
“Let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work!” says Ribich.
“I think it’s a great idea and don’t see any reason why we can’t make this happen,” added Rainsberger.
So the stage is set, the players are assembled and the right people are in place to get things done. All that remains is to make it happen. John Gilder and Dan Beer will be attending the WA State Championship in Tacoma on October 7. They will continue talks with their US counterparts Mark Ribich and Al Rainsberger and officially invite the top three finishers to compete at the BC Championship Rally next May in Vancouver, Canada.
IVES will also be working closely with OROSHA in establishing their first event, “The Columbia Forklift Challenge” in the spring of 2011 and has also initiated discussion with interested parties in California. Who knows? Within the next few years we be could crowning the first Pacific Coast International Forklift Champion!
Operator Training Material Revision Notice: Counterbalanced Forklift
Please be aware that a revision has been made to the current Counterbalanced Forklift Operator Reference Manual. On page 17, under the heading “STEER WHEELS & AXLE,” the last sentence reads:
“Another unique design feature is that the drive axle is connected to the frame through a flexible joint at its center which allows it to move or oscillate so that all the wheels stay in contact with the ground while traveling over uneven terrain.”
In the interest of accuracy, “drive axle” has been changed to “steer axle.” Please make note of this and make sure your trainees are made aware of it. This revision will be made in the next run of the counterbalanced book scheduled for early 2010.
ASSE Fall Protection Standard Under Revision
American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) standard A10.32, Personal Fall Protection Used in Construction Operations is under revision. This standard establishes performance criteria for personal fall protection equipment and systems in construction and demolition and provides guidelines and recommendations for their use and inspection. The standard includes but is not limited to, fall arrest, restraint, positioning, climbing, descending, rescue, escape and training activities.
UL Industrial Truck Standard Under Revision
Underwriter’s Laboratory (UL) standard B558, Standard for Safety for Industrial Trucks, Internal Combustion Engine Powered, is under revision. Some of the proposed changes include:
- Revisions to the definitions for type designations.
- Revisions to the list of referenced standards.
- Revisions to allow nonmetallic materials near exhaust system components.
- Deletion of the requirement regarding fuel fill location.
- Revisions to the fuel container requirements.
- Addition of the requirements for air conditioning and heating systems.
ITSDF Standard Proposed
Industrial Truck Standards Development Foundation Inc.’s (ITSDF) proposed new standard, B56.11.8, Evaluation of Seatbelt Anchorage Systems for Powered Industrial Trucks provides the performance and testing requirements for lap-type belt operator-restraint systems provided with center control, high lift trucks that have a sit-down, non-elevating operator position. The lap-type seatbelt assembly test shall test the anchorages needed to connect it to the structure of the truck.
ASSE Proposes New Aerial Lift Standard
The American Society of Safety Engineers has developed a new standard that is currently open for public input.
ASSE A10.29 – Aerial Lifts in Construction, covers the purchase, rental, lease, maintenance, use, and training in use, of aerial platforms used for lifting personnel in construction.
If this sounds familiar to you, it should. The topics addressed in this proposed standard are already well covered and have been for years in the ANSI/SIA A92 series of standards. Many industry insiders are wondering why the ASSE is interested in developing a standard that is redundant and in the opinion of some industry experts, unnecessary. One requirement within the standard calls for trainers to have a minimum of 5-years of experience with the equipment they train others on as well as written evidence of formal training from a manufacturer with similar equipment. With unreasonable requirements like that, it is unlikely this standard will be accepted.
OSHA Enforcement Issues Draw Congressional Review
House and Senate committees recently heard testimony on several issues surrounding OSHAs performance in protecting workers from injury and illness. Some of the key issues addressed were:
Are OSHA penalties stringent enough to compel employers to follow workplace safety rules?
Should workers and their families be more involved in the citation, investigative and penalty processes following workplace incidents?
The hearings followed the introduction of two new worker safety bills. The Protecting America’s Workers Act would increase OSHA penalties as well as increase the number of workers protected under the OSH Act and strengthen whistleblower protections. The Corporate Injury, Illness and Fatality Reporting Act would require large, multi-site companies to regularly report data to the Department of Labor on the number and rates of work-related incidents at all of their worksites at least once a year.
Accident Reports
Aerial Boomlift Fatality – Harness Not Connected
Investigators have concluded that the safety harness used by a worker at the Indiana Convention Center expansion project construction site was not properly attached to the device when it tipped and threw him 50 feet to the ground.
The victim, 55, had been trained to operate the lift and had experience in using the device on job sites, a co-worker said. The general contractor on the project has a policy that any worker elevated more than 6 feet must be connected to a harness and safety line to prevent falls, said a representative for the Indiana Department of Labor.
The state will look into several aspects of the accident, including the lift’s movements when the fall took place. Indiana Department of Labor investigators will try to determine why the victim’s safety gear was not connected. The investigation could take months.
[Harnesses must be connected at all times while on the platform of an aerial boomlift, regardless of the height. – Ed.]
Accident Kills Forklift Operator
An industrial accident killed a stand-up forklift operator when she backed into a metal gate, causing crushing injuries. The victim (47), a mother of four and a grandmother of three, “meant everything to everybody,” said her son-in-law.
The warehouse Chief Operating Officer said that she was a “relatively recent hire” and had been working there for about five months. He went on to say that the warehouse has never had a fatal accident before.
Not-So-Great Moments in Training
Back in the mid ‘90s, there weren’t a lot of telehandlers around, at least not in my neck of the woods. My company assigned me to go and do “forklift” operator class at a local sheet rock distributor. Back then, if someone said ‘forklift,’ it was presumed that it was a standard sit-down counterbalanced forklift unless they said otherwise.
I showed up ready to go with my materials, training aids and PPE but for some inexplicable reason I didn’t do what I usually did, which is to go out and check the equipment I would be using for the class.
The guys showed up and we had a really good classroom session discussing the theory of a counterbalanced forklift; things were going great. After completing the theory in the classroom I led the group into the field to do the practical work, starting with a run through of the pre-use inspection. There was lots of equipment and machinery in the yard but I did not see the “forklift” I was looking for. After a short search I stopped, turned to the group and with a bewildered look asked,
“Hey guys, where’s your forklift at?”
They looked at each other with expressions somewhere between amusement and confusion, and in a voice that still haunts me to this day, one of them said,
“You’re standing on it Teach.” I looked down and to my horror realized saw I was a standing on the fork blade of what I would soon learn, was a telehandler.
I learned several important lessons that day: Always get make and model information of the equipment you will be training on before you show up and; the instant you arrive on site, ask to see the equipment you will be using and finally; before you start the classroom work, get your trainees to look at the pictures in their training books and ask them,
“Does this look like the machine you operate?” Trust me, you’ll save yourself a lot of embarrassment.
State police and the coroner’s office are investigating and the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration were notified.
[Operators of stand-up units have to be extra careful to look in the direction of travel. These types of incidents are stark reminders of how far reaching the tragic effects of a fatality can be. – Ed.]
IVES Team Profile: Vien Luong
Vien Luong joined our accounting department in April of 2007. Her shy demeanor, soft-spoken style and all round friendly disposition are some of what she contributes to an office that she describes as “a nice and friendly environment.”
“Vien is an incredibly hard worker,” says Rob Vetter, IVES’ Director of Training. “Her quiet manner belies the determination and energy she brings to her job. She is an absolute pit bull with details which is a quality that serves her well at her position.”
Vien’s high performance levels are probably due to the fact that she applies the same level of dedication to her health and wellness as she does to her job.
“I believe that exercise is rejuvenating and good for ones physical and mental well being,” she says with the confidence of someone who walks it like she talks it. In her spare time, Vien enjoys running, swimming, gardening, and spending quality time with family and friends.
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