Thorough Examination for fork lift trucks is roughly equivalent to the MOT for cars- a mandatory check to ensure that the mechanical parts of your forklift are in safe working order.
It is not the same as regular maintenance - so you need one whether or not you've just had the truck serviced.
Thorough Examination is required by law, and must take place at regular intervals that depend on the type of truck you are running... but it will certainly be at least once a year...often more.
However not all thorough examinations are created equal. It is crucial to ensure that your Thorough Examinations comprehensively cover both the lifting and the driving mechanisms of the truck: amazingly, not all of them do.
For peace of mind, it makes sense to get your Thorough Examination from CFTS-accredited company.The CFTS seal is your guarantee that your truck will actually be examined carefully, and that key components such as brakes and steering will be checked along with the lifting mechanism.