Have you seen a recent growth in waste operations across your site?

With the nation’s waste industry working harder than ever following an increase in the amount of waste produced during these challenging times, there is concern that we may start to see standards unintentionally slip and complacency creep in – so how can you do your bit to maximise a safer way of working?

We have seen a large increase of training requests coming in for forklift training with waste-specific attachments such as rotating forks, fork rotators and bale clamps and fortunately for our customers, out training experts are on hand to provide guidance on course lengths, support in identifying the training requirements and in some instances even advise on the types of attachments and their category.

Support and advice has always been a key part of the service to our customers and helping ensure you get the right training on your site is our priority. Below are key areas that we believe must considered to help keep sites safe for all.

Has the type of waste you receive on your site changed and are the attachments on your machines fit for purpose?

Are there any non-banded products on your site now? Are you needing to manoeuvre materials you may not have had to before? Products such as tyres may present a number of issues due to their awkward shape and size – they have the potential to shift during transportation if they are not secured evenly. Ensure operators understand the importance of clear vision and drive at a sensible speed to avoid any unwanted tipping or flipping from an unusual load. Remember that non-banded and un-palletised loads must not be stacked too high as their uneven weight distribution could also cause them to become unbalanced and tip.

Are you needing to move more waste than usual? Do you know the weight of your load? If you are manoeuvring waste such as heavy bins, it is crucial to always check the weight of the load to prevent to load from falling from the truck or causing the vehicle to tip. This also includes assessing your materials for any defects that may cause the attachment to not fully and securely be able to grab the load.

Have the ground conditions been assessed? We understand that at many waste sites it may be impossible to remove all waste from the floor, but you must ensure you have a clear route of guidance before you start your travel. Checks for spillages, these could be harmful chemicals or substances. Ensure all understand how to deal with spillages onsite. Wheels should be checked pre and post use to ensure no materials have become wrapped around them and make sure attachments are clear from debris.

Are you aware of the impact of using in-correct attachments?

Changing an attachment will alter the characteristic of the machine and the lifting capabilities of the forklift The most common attachments utilised in the waste industry on a forklift truck include bale clamps, fork rotators and rotating forks; this allows for one piece of machinery to carry out numerous tasks for an efficient and cost-effective solution. Always make sure attachments are fit for purpose, for example – if you are moving baled waste – a clamp will securely lock the waste whereas the waste may slip between rotating forks,  cause debris to fall in transit and potentially damage the equipment or causing an injury.

It is important to include any attachments you may use in your SSoW so you can monitor or refer back to the safe operating procedures.

We receive a number of calls from business looking to establish a better method of training on attachments and what is clear is that the changing of attachments is often seen by the operator as time consuming function and therefore done complacently.  Changing the attachment may add time onto a daily task and increased workloads may make this challenging but if due care is not taken when completing this task, ultimately accidents will happen

Do you assess your surroundings?

Ensure that there is a clear, segregated route between the forklift trucks and other plant machinery or pedestrians particularly if your site is carrying out more tasks than usual.

Forklifts may come into contact with pedestrians on site so operators should always be mindful of their view when driving the truck and any pedestrians that may walk into the blind spot. Where pedestrians must enter the area of operation it is vital is that those who do not operate equipment understand their responsibilities to ensure that they are seen – a good, proven practice is to implement a simple communication method and acknowledgment of visibility between equipment operators and pedestrians.