As members of the Forklift Truck Association (FLTA) and the Consolidated Fork Truck Services (CFTS) Lister Lift Trucks recognises the requirement to regulate the standard of all forklift services and the need for a quality-controlled standard for the inspection of forklift trucks providing peace of mind that their operations are safe, legal and productive and we are consistently working to provide an excellent service for all of our customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Consolidated Fork Truck Services (CFTS) works in close consultation with the HSE to ensure that agreed standards are met for the inspection of equipment.\u00a0PUWER and LOLER regulations legally require all lift trucks to have a valid Report of Thorough Examination, there was no guidance on how this should be reported until 2004 when the CFTS was formed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since 2004, CFTS has been the adopted standard for Thorough Examinations. CFTS was created by the FLTA and BITA \u2013 in close consultation with the HSE \u2013 to solve a vital problem facing work equipment users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A lack of national standards meant that historically there was no consistency between equipment inspections and there was a high risk of corners being cut. Owners could not be confident that their trucks were legal or safe to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PUWER and LOLER regulations legally require all lift trucks to have a valid Report of Thorough Examination \u2013 but there was little official guidance about what this should cover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To provide clarity, the materials handling industry\u2019s major trade associations worked together to give clear, definitive procedures and consistent national standards for a safe and genuine Thorough Examination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The result is CFTS: the national accreditation scheme for Thorough Examination, specifically for companies who service work equipment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CFTS serves owners and users of equipment throughout a wide variety of industries, including agriculture, construction, materials handling and logistics. If you own and operate work equipment, such as telehandlers, tractors, forklifts, man-up vehicles or stackers, you need CFTS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Look for the distinctive CFTS mark: it\u2019s your guarantee that a Thorough Examination is full and valid under law and will be carried out by a fully trained engineer in accordance with strict quality procedures.
Without it, your Thorough Examination Report may not be worth the paper it\u2019s printed on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most operators of Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWPs)\u00a0are mindful of their responsibilities in arranging regular safety inspections.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n But far fewer are aware that many inspection providers use a generic checklist which fails to inspect components specific to MEWPs\u2026 potentially putting an employer on the wrong side of the law.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s why.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The law states that\u00a0under LOLER regulations, an MEWP should undergo\u00a0a\u00a0Thorough Examination\u00a0at east every 6 months\u00a0to ensure that equipment is not faulty and doesn\u2019t pose a risk to staff.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sounds straightforward, but many Thorough Examinations focus solely on LOLER, ignoring the PUWER component of the inspection, an omission that could lead to accidents,\u00a0injuries,\u00a0damage, downtime, disruption\u00a0and possible prosecution.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn some ways, an incomplete inspection is worse than none at all, as it could give a false sense of security,\u201d explains Geoff Martin Chairman of Thorough Examination accrediting body CFTS.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTo help owners and operators of MEWPs meet their safety obligations and comply fully with the law, we have come up with 5 tips that will help them review their existing arrangements.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 5-point guide for effective MEWP Thorough Examinations<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n