We hope you’re having a good summer so far! Here’s what we will cover in this July 2013 IVES Update Newsletter edition:
- Q & A for Trainers.
- Materials revision notice.
- What’s Wrong With This? answer and new photo.
- Upcoming Washington State Forklift Rodeo details.
- An Ask Bob question on boomlift passengers.
- Links to other interesting articles.
- Rack of seedlings topples off forklift, crushes farmer.
- Upcoming trade show schedule.
Have you seen our new Aerial Lift Familiarization Training Packets? Check them out.
Q & A for Trainers
We thought it might be useful to talk about some of the common issues and concerns that come up during Trainer programs. If you are a trainer of equipment operators or you employ such trainers, this may be of particular interest to you.
Q – Do I need to be an equipment operator before I can be a trainer?
A – Not necessarily, but it sure helps. If the equipment you’re going to be training operators on is a foreign object to you then it’s going to be very tough, if not impossible, for you to pass the class much less relate to what you are asking your trainees to do. If you have little or no experience operating, I would strongly suggest getting some seat time (supervised, of course) under your belt beforehand. Ultimately, I would rather be trained by an excellent trainer with limited operating experience than a veteran operator who is a lousy trainer.
Q – What sort of person makes a good trainer?
A – Good trainers share several traits, such as desire, integrity, organization skills, ability to communicate and confidence. For more details read Who Should Attend? and Basic Traits of an Effective Trainer.
Q – If an operator has an accident after I train them, can I be blamed somehow?
A – If by “blamed” you mean liable then no you’re not, at least not in the eyes of any regulatory authorities. After you deliver a training program on the employer’s behalf it is their responsibility to, usually through a supervisor, monitor and police employees and enforce safety rules. However, your employer may take up the issue with you if it they can show that you were negligent in the delivery of the training program and that negligence lead to the accident, but that would be incredibly unlikely and even then, they are still liable for the training you deliver on their behalf.
Q – If a trainee needs a lot of practice before being tested, do I have to be there all the time?
A – Until a trainee is declared competent they must remain under the direct supervision of a qualified person while practicing to improve their skills. If you are the only one at the workplace with the knowledge, training and experience to train operators and evaluate their competence then yes, you must be there all the time.
Q – Do I have to be certified as a trainer in order to train operators?
A – No, but it sure helps. To help clarify this I will refer to OSHA’s forklift operator training standard CFR29 1910.178(l)(2)(ii) which states that “All operator training and evaluation shall be conducted by persons who have the knowledge, training, and experience to train powered industrial truck operators and evaluate their competence.”
Knowing how much OSHA loves to see documentation and paperwork, imagine their delight when you are able hand over formal trainer credentials if and/or when they should ask.
We think the above questions and answers represent a pretty good cross section of the common issues that come up when training trainers. We hope you found this Q & A section helpful!
Material Revisions Notice
We’ve made some slight revisions to our forklift and aerial lift operator training materials. Please take note of the following:
Counterbalanced Forklift
- The questions that at the bottom the pages 14 and 16 and their answers on the following pages have been removed.
- On page 16 and 17, three “Did you know?” boxes have been added to address, 10% fork wear, plugging and tailswing.
- A bullet point at the bottom of page 32 has been added to specifically address buckling the seatbelt.
- A WARNING has been added to page 61 addressing the fact that specific training and/or certification is required to handle propane.
- Also on page 61, the first paragraph under “Cylinder Inspection” regarding the service life of cylinders has been simplified.
- The last paragraph on page 57 under “What is Propane?” has been altered by replacing the word “hydrocarbon” with “flammable.”
- A reference to the primary shutoff valve being closed if the truck is left for prolonged/extended periods of time indoors is in the last bullet point on page 63.
Rough Terrain Forklift
- 1-ft graduations have been added to the top of each load chart on pages 48 and 49.
- 1-ft graduations have also been added to the load charts downloadable from our website.
- Hand signals for boom extend/retract have been added to page 71.
- The time required to do a pre-use inspection that is listed the book and the Trainer’s Manual Insert now match.
- The answer to question 20 of the RT Op theory test has been revised to, c) 6,000 lbs, so as to err on side of caution.
- The answer keys for the above noted tests have been revised and are available for download.
Aerial Lifts
- The wording “If traveling elevated is unavoidable…” on page 76 (AWP), 86 (ABL) and 87 (ALP) has been revised to “If you decide to travel elevated…”
- The position of the CG in the graphics on page 58-62 of the ALP and ABL books has been changed to be more accurate.
The answer to question 10 on page 78 of the ALP and ABL books has been changed to d) All the above.
What’s Wrong With This?
We’re sure you won’t have too much trouble spotting what’s wrong with this photo…
Answer to Last Month’s WWWT?
Last month we asked you what was wrong with the photo. The forklift operator had his pallets stacked four high, with one entire pallet having no engagement with his backrest. It’s hard to tell if each of the loads are unitized (strapped, wrapped or otherwise bound together) but any non-unitized loads over the backrest pose a threat to the operator’s safety. No part of any load should be able to fall back onto the operator.
Washington State Forklift Rodeos
IVES is a Gold Sponsor of the 16th Annual Washington State Regional and Final Forklift Rodeos. These competitions combine drivers’ skills, knowledge, safe operation, efficiency and accuracy together on a challenging precision driving and task course. The Regional competitions are limited to 30 drivers at each location. The top 7 individual competitors plus up to three teams from each Regional event will proceed to the State Final, the season’s championship event held in Spokane this September.
For you non-operators, there’s great music, prize draws, giveaways and delicious food at the Regional Finals. The State Final is showcased within the 61st Annual Washington Governor’s Industrial Safety and Health Conference. Come on down to watch and cheer on the competitors!
- Eastern Regional Competition – July 20 Completed
- Western Regional Competition – August 17
- State Championship – September 25
View more details or register for the rodeo here.
Ask Bob
Q: If you have two people in the platform of an aerial boomlift, do they both need to be qualified operators?
A: No, the passenger does not need to be a qualified operator, as long as they do not operate the machine in any way.
Interesting News Articles
- PHMSA awards One-Call grants to 30 states… more
- OSHA fines construction company after worker dies on the job… more
Incident Report
A farmer was using a forklift to move a rack of seedlings to a field for transplanting. The metal rack was about two metres (77 inches) tall. Together with the recently watered seedlings, it weighed at least 635 kilograms (1,400 pounds). A drip line got tangled in the rack as the farmer drove the forklift, so he stopped to fix the problem. The farmer was in front of the rack untangling the drip line when the rack toppled onto him. He was taken to the hospital, where he died of his injuries.
The rack needed to be securely attached to the forklift to prevent it from shifting and endangering workers as it was moved. Unfortunately, the rack had not been secured. The lack of channels on the bottom of the rack for the forks to slide into increased the load’s instability. Also, the rack may not have been properly balanced on the forks.
Safe work practices:
- Securely attach loads before moving them with a forklift or other mobile equipment to prevent the loads from shifting and endangering workers.
- Ensure that loads are stable before moving them with a forklift or other mobile equipment. If a load does become unstable while moving it, stop immediately and lower the load. If needed, get help to stabilize it. Stay out of the area where an unstable load may fall.
- Choose racks with features that increase their stability, such as channels on the bottom, or other attachments that allow for easy securing of loads.
- Train workers to use forklifts safely.
[Source: www.WorkSafeBC.com]
Upcoming Events
We will be exhibiting at the following trade shows and conferences:
- August 17. Western WA Regional Forklift Rodeo
- August 26-29. 29th Annual National VPPPA Conference
- September 10-13. Georgia Safety Conference
- September 25. WA State Forklift Rodeo Championship
- September 29-October 4. NSC 2013 Congress & Expo
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