Do You Need A Licence To Operate A Forklift Truck?
If you’re thinking of hiring a forklift truck, but are a bit hazy on the rules and regulations, here is some basic information you need to know. A licence isn’t essential to operate a forklift truck, (unless you wish to drive it on the highway, in which case a full UK driving licence is required) but there are other requirements to be met.
Minimum age
Firstly, the minimum age for operators is 16 years old, according to the Forklift Truck Association (FTA). In ports, this increases to 18 years of age. However, if you intend a young person between the ages of 16 and 18 years of age to operate the truck, there are some specific Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR) to bear in mind.
Regulation 3 (1999) states that employers must make ‘a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of employees’ in regard to the risks they are exposed to through work.
In particular, all risks should be assessed before an under-18-year-old starts work, taking into account the young person’s level of physical and psychological maturity, experience, and awareness of risks. This is because they are unlikely to have the same range of skills and sound decision-making abilities as an older employee.
With specific regard to forklift truck driving, the young person under 18 may not operate one, or any other high-risk lifting machinery, unless they are deemed to be mature and competent, and have completed the necessary training. They must be adequately supervised, and reasonable control measures must be taken to eliminate risk.
Health and fitness
As well as a person’s age, medical considerations must be taken into account before they are allowed to operate a forklift truck, the FTA reports. These include a reasonable standard of mental and physical fitness, with no disabilities that could pose a threat to the safety of themselves or others when operating the truck.
This is not to say that people with disabilities should be excluded from operating a forklift truck, but the situation should be judged on an individual basis, with a full risk assessment to identify any potential hazards. Reasonable adjustment to work equipment may need to be made, and if necessary medical advice can be obtained regarding suitability.
At no time should a person under the influence of alcohol, recreational drugs, or certain medications that affect mental or physical function be allowed to operate heavy lifting machinery.
Voluntary accreditation schemes
Although there is no such thing as an official licence for operating a fork lift truck, there are a number of organisations who provide accreditation for training which meets the standard of the Health and Safety Executive’s Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) for rider-operated lift trucks. This helps to set and maintain professional standards in the industry.
Accredited training providers may be an organisation, individual, or a training scheme that is provided in-house. The instructors must be qualified and experienced, and follow a course syllabus approved by the accrediting body.
If you are looking for a tiller arm forklift, please get in touch today.