In this edition we'll be covering the following topics:
- Our Feature Article: On the Shoulders of Giants. The second of 5 articles on notable figures in IVES' history.
- Ask Bob: Our tech guru addresses a question on placing loads with a telehandler.
- 35th Anniversary Testimonial Contest Winners Announced!
- The Lesser of Two Evils, an article on leaving a forklift with the forks raised.
- Last chance to register!
- What's Wrong With This? Photo and answer.
- A selection of interesting articles.
- IVES' 35th Anniversary Sale: Forklift covers and canopies!
- What's Your Trainer IQ?
- New testimonials from our clients.
But first, check out all the places we are delivering training this month...
On the Shoulders of Giants
In observance of our 35th anniversary year, this feature is one of a series of tribute articles acknowledging five seminal figures in IVES’ history whose contributions to the company were critical in its creation and continuing success. Each of these notable figures provided vital elements to IVES’ recipe for success and it is upon the shoulders of these five giants that the company was built and still stands today.
Ron Elliott
When Ron Elliott and Colin Ives met in the early-1980s, an immediate and what would prove to be long lasting bond was formed. At the time Ron was working as a consultant with the National Safety Council (NSC) after spending many years as a Florida State Trooper. Colin was speaking at an NSC safety symposium on behalf of his relatively young company, Ives & Associates while Ron was there as a representative of the NSC. The two men were mutually impressed by each other. Ron with Colin’s raw passion and honest desire to make a difference in the equipment safety training world and Colin with Ron’s vast knowledge of all things safety and his obvious abilities as a brilliantly effective communicator.
They stayed in touch with one another after their initial meeting, exchanging thoughts and ideas, each of them gaining the other’s respect, admiration and friendship. Then, when Colin decided he needed another trainer to help him service his growing client list, Ron Elliott was his first and only choice.
Ron’s effect within IVES & Associates was immediate and significant. He took a huge training load off of Colin and brought fresh, new methods and information to the programs and materials. This added greater depth and detail to the training programs and materials provided Colin with the time and space he desperately needed to promote the company and form a strategy for its continued development.
Ron’s voluminous knowledge and uncanny ability to communicate with anyone on any level served him and his trainees well and it wasn’t long before his reputation grew to rival that of Colin’s. He could coax participation from the shyest trainee and instill confidence in the most anxious then turn around and assert his indisputable control of the class over those that were foolish enough to test him.
As the years passed, Ron’s capabilities and contributions continued to bolster the now well-established Ives & Associates as Colin wisely passed a large portion of the delivery and development of the training programs to him. Every new field trainer that joined the Ives crew was personally mentored by Ron and he was as effective a mentor with IVES' Master Trainers as he was with regular operator trainers.
Ron’s legacy of knowledge and integrity has withstood the test of time as his name within the IVES companies and among its clients is remembered with reverence and respect to this day. He retired from Ives in 2001 and sadly, we lost Ron in February of 2012.
Ask Bob
Q: I'm a little confused with the proper procedure for picking up and dropping off a load with the telehandler. My understanding was that when a load is being picked up with a telehandler you are supposed to stop, put in neutral, engage park brake, level frame, straighten wheels and check load & load chart and you should not drive into the load (like you would with a vertical mast forklift) because you should not travel with the boom down at any time because you could not see around you well enough or travel with it raised &/or extended because it's less stable. Is that correct? Some telehandlers are made for the boom to be down when traveling and the operator can see over them. With those can you drive into the load? Also, on some videos online from manufactures, etc. it shows operators driving in and out of a load with the boom raised and wheels turned. Can you clarify this for me please?
A: You are not the first one to wonder about this so let's clear it up so it makes sense.
All of our operator training materials are based on best practices under ideal conditions, thus the steps you listed are what we want operator trainees to do not just because visibility is so poor on most units but to demonstrate those best practices. Once an operator gets to know their machine and weights/loads they may become comfortable to just drive in or drive out of loads without all the steps, and that is fine provided it is safe to do so.
However, when picking or placing loads in the air, operators must use ALL the steps for this process. We are creatures of habit and if we don't do all the steps while in the air because our stability is at its most critical point, accidents happen.
When I am working with new operators and we are moving loads on the ground, I have them follow the complete steps rather than just driving in or out of loads so they can get a feel for what it's like as well as build good habits for when they have to do high picks or placements.
I hope I am making sense here as it is not always so black and white with telehandler operations. They are very versatile machines. When training with experienced operators, it is quite common for them to only use the telescoping function when moving loads at elevated locations and drive it like a counterbalanced forklift with loads at lower locations or on the ground.
In review, during training all telehandler operators regardless of experience should demonstrate all of the steps described in the ORM when moving loads in order to establish good safety practices and to demonstrate the correct methods. In practice, it is acceptable for experienced/capable operators to use the telehandler like a counterbalanced unit to move loads that do not require telescoping the boom.
NOTE: Last month Bob responded to a question on whether having a pallet/skid raised to “waist height” to facilitate loading goods by hand onto the pallet was OK. Bob responded that he felt it was but we would like to add to that by encouraging those of you who engage in this activity to limit the height of the loading surface to a maximum of 42 inches (106 cm) and to avoid the practice entirely if the manufacturer and/or your company prohibits it. See the "Lesser of Two Evils" article in this Update for more info.
35th Anniversary Testimonials Contest Winners Announcement!
For our 35th anniversary we wanted to celebrate our awesome clients who made it all possible. As part of that celebration we held a Testimonials Contest for a chance to win one of three cool prizes.
Thanks to everyone who submitted a testimonial! It was so great to hear your stories and how IVES has helped you prevent injuries and damage, save money, avoid liability and change the hearts and minds of your coworkers.
1st Place Grand Prize
The winner of a GoPro HERO4 Waterproof HD Sports & Helmet Camera is...
Greg McKee, Great River Energy
Read Greg's testimonial here!
Second Place Prize
The winner of the Fitbit Surge Wireless Activity Tracker is...
Joseph Barbeck, Knight Signs
Read Joseph's testimonial here!
Third Place Prize
The winner of the Bose Quiet Comfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones is...
Georgia Argyle, Sockeye Enterprises Inc
See what Georgia had to say here!
Congratulations again to all the winners and thanks again to everyone who participated, we are lucky to have such great clients!
The Lesser of Two Evils
Often times we are faced with situations in which a rule, procedure or otherwise reasonable course of action conflicts with or compromises another. In the context of safe powered industrial truck and other industrial equipment use, this sort of dilemma is often complicated by issues of regulatory contravention.
For example, take the fact that OSHA prohibits a forklift operator dismounting the unit he/she operates without, among other things, lowering the forks completely. It seems like a reasonable expectation in that when an operator dismounts it is assumed they intend to leave truck unattended and we don’t want others faced with the prospect of dealing with the many hazards posed by unguarded, elevated forks.
That is the assumption but it is not always the reality. In the real world, operators dismount forklifts for many reasons that do not involve leaving trucks unattended. Furthermore, in some dismounting scenarios lowering the forks could actually increase the hazard exposure potential, such as leaving them at waist height in order to load/offload items by hand in a manner that is ergonomically efficient.
It just so happens that OSHA allows this practice as per a 1991 Interpretation but what about other scenarios such as dismounting to check for proper load engagement of the unit’s lifting attachment or to rig a load before connecting it to a jib or any number of scenarios where it is necessary and possibly safer to set the forks higher than waist level while dismounted?
It would be nice to think that good judgement would/should prevail. An employer that dots all the I’s and crosses the T’s (risk assessment, consultation, task-specific training, written safety protocols, supervision, etc.) in the pursuit of getting the job done as safely as reasonably possible should be free to operate as such even if it means contravention of a regulation provided that its intent or “spirit” is not compromised. It would be nice to think that, and it should be possible but as soon as we start pontificating on what is reasonable and what is not, things can get very subjective. At that point we come back to the rationale behind the very existence of regulations which is to clearly draw that line in the sand so that things remain objective.
It may be true that in the scenario described above, an OSHA Field Officer may look upon the due diligence exercised by the employer as adequate in addressing reasonably foreseeable safety concerns, but maybe not. Particularly if an injury-producing incident occurred as a result. Ultimately when faced with a situation where a certain task can be done more safely by bypassing a regulation than complying, an employer must, a) be able to show that there is no reasonable alternative to complete the task, b) consult with OSHA and continue only with a letter of interpretation and/or variance issued by them.
If it is a situation that involves choosing between the lesser of two evils without contravening regulation then good judgement should suffice, along with detailed documentation showing everything that could be reasonably be done to assess the risk and protect employees from the hazards associated with the risks identified, was done.
Last Chance Programs
There are lots of programs to choose from, but seats are limited!
U.S.A. Programs
Sacramento, California
Trainer Recertification May 25
Aerial Lifts Trainer Jun 14-16
Trainer Recertification Jun 17
Salt Lake City, Utah
Aerial Lifts Trainer May 25-27
Irving, Texas
Premium Forklift Trainer Jun 13-16
Trainer Recertification Jun 17
Las Vegas, Nevada
Aerial Lifts Trainer Jun 13-16
Trainer Recertification Jun 17
Seattle, Washington
Express Forklift Trainer Jun 20-21
Trainer Recertification Jun 22
Bismarck, North Dakota
Aerial Lifts Trainer Jun 20-22
Express Forklift Trainer Jun 23-24
Canadian Programs
Abbotsford, British Columbia
Premium Forklift Trainer Jun 6-9
Express Forklift Trainer Jun 13-14
Aerial Lifts Trainer Jul 12-14
Trainer Recertification Jul 15
Prince George, British Columbia
Express Forklift Trainer Jul 11-12
Oshawa, Ontario
Premium Combo Trainer Jul 18-22
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Premium Combo Trainer Jul 25-29
What's Wrong With This?
This month we are sharing a photo from Vertikal.net. Can you spot what's wrong?
Answer to Last Month's WWWT
Last month we shared this photo and asked if you knew what was wrong.
In the photo above the operator was elevating off of a slope greater than that specified by the manufacturer. We know this from the person that took the picture who said that the slope warning alarm was going off the entire time. He also told us that the operator was not wearing any fall protection.
Have a photo you'd like to share? Send it to us!
Interesting Articles
- Boomlift crashes into Manhattan building... more
- Man who fell from scissor lift at high school dies... more
- Beer giant agrees to implement OSHA safety measures at warehouse... more
- OSHA cites USPS for unsafe forklift operations... more
- Police ID man killed in excavator incident... more
- Overloaded telehandler overturns... more
- Roofer fined after worker crushed to death in aerial lift incident... more
- Video: Excavator rescues deer from mud... more
35th Anniversary Sale Continues: Forklift Covers
We are celebrating our 35th Anniversary and are excited to tell you about our upcoming sale... Our forklift covers and canopies, including rain guards, solar guards and full enclosures will be on sale May 16 - June 19. Order and save 20% on your purchase of any of these forklift canopies!
Overhead Guard Rain Shield
This easy to install rain guard attaches in seconds and will protect your operators from rain and snow. This cover is universal for forklift, utility and security carts. Made from impact resistant vinyl. This material is super clear as to not affect visibility. Easily attaches using bungee cords.
Regular Price: $82.95 Save $21
Member Price: $71.95 Save $18
Solar Cap Canopy Protection
No more squinting while transporting an overhead load. Get more coverage with a see through visor. Stay shaded from direct sunlight. Made from durable anti-glare material. Easily attaches using bungee cords.
Regular Price: $82.95 Save $21
Member Price: $71.95 Save $18
Atrium Full Forklift Enclosure
Secured with Velcro straps for easy installation, this forklift enclosure fits almost any counterbalanced forklift. Durable vinyl plastic helps to maintain operator visibility while preventing wind and cold air from entering the operator compartment. Cold crack resistance of -10o F. Available in two sizes. Standard fits almost any counterbalanced forklift up to 6,000 lbs and large fits from 6,000 – 12,000 lbs.
Standard Size
Regular Price: $207.95 Save $52
Member Price: $183.95 Save $46
Large Size
Regular Price: $215.95 Save $54
Member Price: $191.95 Save $48
Don't wait long, these are only on sale for a limited time! Order online or call 1-800-643-1144.
What's Your Trainer IQ?
Time to test your knowledge! Choose the best answer to the following question:
Aerial boomlift platform occupants must wear a personal fall protection harness connected to a suitable anchorage:
a) At all times while in the platform.
b) If the platform is elevated above 6 feet (1.8 m).
c) If the platform is elevated above 10 feet (3 m).
d) At all times while traveling.
Stay tuned, we'll share the answer next month.
Client Testimonials
"The IVES program is top quality training, combining professional, engaging instructors with great resource material." Scott, Idaho Power Company.
"I have attended many different training classes over the years on many different subject matters and without question, this is one of if not the best I have attended. Excellent class, very impressed." Robert, Station Casinos LLC.
"I have been a trainer for over 15 years, by taking this class I have learned better techniques on training." Ben, SOC Nevada LLC.
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