‘Quickie’ inspection risk
CFTS is asking employers to think about how long each ‘Thorough Examination’ of their forklifts is taking – and to question whether the inspections are thorough enough to assure legal compliance and truck safety.
“We regularly hear of Thorough Examinations being completed in as little as 10 to 15 minutes,” says CFTS Technical Manager (North) Shaun Prendergast. “That’s simply not enough to do a proper job.
“A CFTS inspection of a small three-wheel electric truck typically takes at least 45 minutes, while a 2.5 tonne IC engine truck might take between 1.25 and 1.5 hours. As the complexity of the truck increases, the inspections grow longer. A conventional telescopic handler, for example, would take around three hours to inspect properly.”
Thorough Examinations are not just visual. They include physical checks and measurements. For example, a CFTS-accredited inspector will frequently jack up the truck to examine the steering and linkages.
