This Summer 2002 IVES Update Newsletter edition covers a client profile on IKEA, a question on forklift data plates and seat belts, recertification materials, accident reports and more!
Client Profile: IKEA
When the Ives group of companies first appeared 22 years ago as Ives and Associates, the high level of training that we offered was mistakenly viewed as excessive and only the most progressively minded companies chose to exceed the basic minimum training requirements of the day. IKEA was, and is, such a company.
IKEA was Ives’ first customer and remains one of our most valued clients to this day. Anybody that has ever visited one of the 24 IKEA locations throughout North America knows what a remarkably unique experience it can be. With its colorful displays and imaginative products, the forward thinking that has kept IKEA at the leading edge of innovative and creative home furnishing design is clearly evident when one walks through the store. In a word, visiting an IKEA store is fun.
However, the dazzling visual extravaganza and electric atmosphere of an IKEA store does not just happen, it is the result of untold hours of ongoing training and effort invested by each and every employee.
From a material handling perspective, an IKEA location holds many challenges to the lift truck operator instructor — not the least of which is the daunting task of dealing with the high amount of traffic in and around the facility while keeping a massive inventory at a level that will allow for a high degree of operational efficiency. In other words, operators must be trained to load and unload product coming in and going out, as well as replenish stock on the floor and in the warehouse at a very brisk rate. All the while, operators must be constantly assessing the safest and most efficient routes to take in this demanding environment.
It sounds like an impossible task, but remember that IKEA is known for its uncanny ability to consistently think “outside of the box.” When it comes to training their lift truck operators, IKEA has taken the time to study their material handling processes to identify potential hazards within the system and taken corrective action to minimize and/or eliminate them.
The lift truck operator training at all IKEA North America locations is the result of the successful merging of the Ives System of training and the comprehensive corporate policies of IKEA. The result is an extremely detailed and localized training program that is delivered by the company’s in-house instructors who are certified through Ives.
The usual commitment to constant improvement and uniform administration IKEA demonstrates provides them with a material handling training system that is as successful in its own way, as their success in providing affordable and original home furnishings and accessories has been.
Ives is very happy to be the training provider of choice for the material handling needs of a leading-edge company like IKEA North America and we look forward to continuing our relationship.
Since its founding in 1943, IKEA has offered a wide range of home furnishings and accessories of good design and function, at prices so low that the majority of people can afford them. IKEA is recognized as a socially responsible company and continuously supports initiatives that benefit causes such as children and the environment. Currently, IKEA has 165 stores in 31 countries, including 15 stores in the United States and 9 stores in Canada. To visit the IKEA web site, please go to http://www.ikea-usa.com.
Partners in Safety
We at Ives are very proud of the work that we do. From course content to the caliber of our staff instructors, we maintain the highest levels of professionalism and customer support. Here in British Columbia, we are proud to be associated with an organization that shares our philosophy regarding the delivery of high quality safety training: The British Columbia Safety Council.
The BC Safety Council provides a wide range of safety education and training programs to employers and citizens throughout BC. The Council is an independent, not-for-profit society that was formed in 1945 and has dedicated itself to the prevention of injury in the workplace, at home and on the road ever since.
With its main offices and classrooms in Richmond, the BCSC fields Instructors that range all over the province, providing on-site training to employers in every industry and region, from the smallest to the largest work-sites. It has an extensive range of professional Occupational Safety and Health programs, and provides customized safety training support services through its Client services Program, when requested.
Over 100 different programs are available, and the Council’s various business partners, like Ives Training, add an incredible range of further expertise. The BC Safety Council can meet the safety training needs of just about every employer.
In addition to Occupational Safety & Health, the Council also has considerable expertise in traffic safety and driver training. It provides a number of driver improvement programs, as well as driver evaluations and training, on just about any kind and size of vehicle, from passenger cards, through trucks, buses, tractor-trailers, graders and many specialized vehicles.
Whether you have salespeople on the road or professional operators out there, the BC Safety Council can help any employer cope with today’s congested and hazardous road and traffic conditions. As a bonus, the techniques taught in BC Safety Council programs reduce fuel consumption and vehicle repair costs.
If two wheels is your choice, the Council has an international reputation for its innovative motorcycle rider training programs – they’re simply the best!
The BC Safety Council also provides community-oriented safety education – Babysitter Training, Mile Swim Fitness Awards, Mature Driver Programs, and more. As well, the Council is an advocate for improved public policy with respect to safety issues, regulations and procedures.
With safety training for just about anything on wheels plus an impressive selection of classes ranging from Air Brakes to WHIMIS, to Fall Arrest, Safety Committees and Supervisors – the BC Safety Council is your one stop shop for safety.
Ives Training Ltd and the BC Safety Council have been partners in safety for over 21 years and we look forward to many more years of cooperative association with them.
Ask Bob
Dear Bob,
Our forklift was purchased used. It does not have a capacity plate or seat belts. I know these are highly desirable and are emphasized strongly in the training. Are these required by some law or regulation? There is some controversy here over this issue and I hope you can clear it up for us.
Jason Simmonds
Lacey, Washington
Dear Jason,
A capacity plate is required by OSHA (1910.178(a)(6)) and WISHA (WAC 296-24-23003(5)). These two regulations say that the truck must be “marked” to identify capacity. I suppose that someone could argue that it doesn’t mean that a plate is necessary, just markings. However, if you consider OSHA 1910.178(a)(2) and WISHA (296-24- 23003(2), they refer to the requirement to comply with the design and construction standards of ANSI/ASME B56.1. If you look at 7.5.2 of the ANSI/ASME standard, it says that: “…the manufacturer shall install a durable, corrosion-resistant nameplate(s)…” and it goes on to say (at 7.5.4) that “…the nameplate shall also show the capacity and load center at maximum elevation….” What it all means is that there has to be some kind of accurate, legible marking on the truck so that the operator can tell what it can pick up, no matter what attachment is being used.
As far as the seat belt issue goes, OSHA and WISHA can cite an employer for not having belts under the General-Duty Clause. It says that the employer must protect the employee from recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious injury. Forklift tip-over is a recognized hazard, and although a seat-belt won’t stop a tip-over, it will stop the operator from jumping out and getting crushed.
OSHA goes on to say that they expect employers to take advantage of retrofit programs for seatbelts if they are available.
So, if OSHA/WISHA catches you without seat belts, they can act against you on it. If you tell them that the truck didn’t come with seat belts, they’re going to want to know if you have tried to retrofit. The only way that you will be off the hook is if the truck didn’t come with them and you can show that a retrofit kit is not available. So, the short answer to your question is, yes, capacity plates and seat belts are required by law.
I hope this helps.
Dear Bob,
If you have a lift truck that has the lifting capacity of 7600 lbs and has cushion tires, and you have a lift truck that has the lifting capacity of 6300 lbs iwth solid tires, are they still a class 4? Could you train operators on just one and they would be certified to run both, or do you have to do a driving evaluation on every lift truck they will be operating?
Valli
Vaveny, BC
Dear Valli,
If the trucks that you described are both powered by internal combustion engines, then yes, they would both be considered class 4 lift trucks. Since the two trucks in this case are of the same “type”, no additional operator training would be required, unless one of them has different operational controls or characteristics than the other.
One could argue that the size different (due to different rated capacities) between the two, or the fact that one has solid tires and the other has cushion tires, may give the two trucks different operational characteristics. If this were the case, then some additional training and operational evaluating would be prudent.
Without seeing the trucks in action, it is difficult for me to say… only you (and your operators) can tell if there are any appreciable differences between the two (other than capacity) that would warrant additional training and evaluation.
So, just so we are clear; the evaluation on every truck (of the same classification) in the workplace is not necessary if there are no significant operational differences between them.
Hope I have helped.
Bob.
We’ve Got You Covered with Operator Re-certification Materials
It has been well over three years since OSHA defined and mandated lift truck operator training in CFR29 1910.178 and, as you know, re-certification efforts should be under way.
The re-certification process does not have to be difficult or time consuming, especially when using the materials that Ives has developed to make the process easy and worry-free. These materials include:
Re-certification Notepad — This Notepad contains all of the documentation required to re-certify up to eight operators of powered industrial trucks, including theory tests, practical re-evaluation forms, record sheets, certificates of completion, and wallet-sized certification cards.
Powered Industrial Truck Evaluator’s Guide — Contains information on relevant regulations, instructions on theory testing and practical evaluations, as well as an answer key for the theory test and valuable tips on the re-certification process.
Lift Truck Operator Re-certification Study Guides — These Guides contain information and exercises that will refresh each operator’s knowledge and facilitate a positive outcome to the re-evaluation process. They are designed specifically to be used in the classroom and to compliment the Notepad and Evaluator’s Guide. The Study Guides for counterbalanced and rough terrain lift trucks are in stock now.
Accident Report
Harselle, Ala – A man trimming a tree from an aerial lift died after the truck he was working from flipped over. Witnesses said the man was elevated, and he was rotating the boom when the truck tipped over. The owner of the tree trimming company was working from another aerial lift on the same property, and he noticed that the operator did not have his outriggers down. The owner said that he yelled to get the man’s attention but it was too late, the truck had already started to tip. The operator fell 25 to 30 feet and died from internal injuries. DECATUR DAILY (Remember that any stability enhancing devices must be deployed before elevating. Ed.)
Memphis, TN – A ride operator at a fair was killed when he was run over by a forklift. After the fair had closed, another worker was moving a metal box with the forklift. The ride operator attempted to climb on top of the box but lost his balance and fell under the moving forklift. His death has been ruled as accidental. COMMERCIAL APPEAL (Unless there is a seat or rider position provided for by the manufacturer, the operator must be the only rider on a forklift. Ed.)
Lewiston, Maine – A 33-year-old man, who was guiding a load, died after a boom truck came into contact with overhead power lines. A police official said it is unclear whether the boom truck hit the wires, or if the worker pulled the load toward the wires. The crane operator was not injured. Police and OSHA officials are investigating the incident. SUN JOURNAL (A minimum safe approach distance of 10 feet must be maintained from any energized power lines. Ed.)
Joy Quanrud Joins the Ives Team
Ives is very happy to announce the addition of Joy Quanrud to the Ives team. Joy brings a wealth of sales experience from her 14 years as a Regional Manager with the National Safety Council to her new position with Ives as the Director of Sales in the western United States.
“I’ve been aware of Ives for many years and am very happy and excited to have the opportunity to work with a company with as fine a reputation as Ives,” she says. “They (Ives) have a premium product and the type of customer service that almost sells itself—and that makes my job a lot simpler, because it’s easy to get behind a product that you believe in.”
Ives’ Managing Director Rob Vetter is happy about Joy’s arrival, as well. “When I first met Joy, I knew almost instantly that she was the type of person we wanted to be associated with. She’s as sharp as a tack, bristling with energy and extremely charismatic and engaging to be around. I know that she’ll do us, and herself, proud.”
Working out of our Los Angeles office, Joy will make significant strides in enhancing Ives’ presence in the western states, particularly the southern California region. With her impeccable reputation and outstanding customer relation skills, we are looking forward to a long and happy future with Joy on the team. Welcome aboard Joy!
What’s Your Instructor IQ?
Q – As eager as the beginner operator was, he could not seem to get the hang of it. The instructor was satisfied that the operator knew what to do and how to do it but he was not satisfied with the ability of the operator to demonstrate competence. The instructor decided to have demonstration performed by a veteran operator for the benefit of the beginner. After about 20 minutes he got the beginner back in the seat and asked him to practice what he had learned. The instructor then told the operator that he would be back in an hour to check up on him, and left. What did the instructor do wrong in this case?
A – First of all, the demonstration by the veteran operator was a waste of time. If the instructor had reason to believe that the operator knew what to do and how to do it, then having him watch a demonstration won’t do anything. What was required in this case, was practice…and nothing but. Also, the instructor left the trainee alone to practice…HUGE mistake. What kind of training can be delivered when the instructor cannot even see the trainee? What would happen if there were an incident and/or injury to the operator while he was operating the equipment as an unsupervised trainee? The instructor really stuck his neck out here and acted in a very unprofessional manner. NEVER leave a trainee alone…EVER.
TrainTrak Operator Tracking System a Success
The TrainTrak system is a free reminder service in which you can register the operators that you train with us for input into the TrainTrak database. As time goes by, the system alerts us in regard to upcoming your operator re-certification dates which in turn allows us to remind you 90-days in advance of upcoming operator re-certification dates.
We at Ives would like to thank you for making the TrainTrak Operator Tracking System a runaway success. Since its inception back in the spring of 1998, we have registered literally thousands of operators into the system and expect this trend to continue.
The success of the TrainTrak Program is largely due to you as it was you that recognized the system as the valuable resource that it is. In order to help ensure that you continue to receive updated re-certification reminders and maximize the effectiveness of the system, we encourage you to notify us every time you conduct initial certification or re-certification training so that we can update your records within the database accordingly.
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