Strict testing criteria for fork lift truck Thorough Examinations ensures compliance and worker safety, advises CFTS.

Recent legislative changes, with more emphasis on punishment, mean that ensuring your equipment complies with the law is more important than ever before, according to CFTS, the body behind the national standard for the Thorough Examination of fork lift trucks and related transport.

With managers and directors overseeing operations at risk of violating the law and in danger of life threatening accidents, CFTS is continuously looking for ways to ensure that the wear, efficiency and performance of lift trucks are measured and recorded precisely to protect British companies.

CFTS Chairman Mike Mathias explains: “CFTS Thorough Examinations require competent inspectors to perform accurate physical examinations on key components. With CFTS, there is no room for guesswork.”

Set up as a joint initiative between the Fork Lift Truck Association and the British Industrial Truck Association, CFTS is responsible for the comprehensive procedure and strict code of practice for the Thorough Examination of fork lift trucks. It is followed by the scheme’s national network of more than 450 accredited Thorough Examination providers.

He continues: “Consider a fork lift truck’s chains as one example. They are a vital component of a truck’s lifting mechanism. Every CFTS examiner is required to use an accurate chain gauge that judges wear and tear precisely – with results that can be replicated.

“They also carry other equipment essential for accessing key components such as a jack for checking the brakes and steering, or A-frame ladders to inspect chain wear at the top of the mast where it passes over the rollers – arguably the most crucial area for wear and faults. It’s this kind of intensive and exhaustive inspection that sets CFTS apart.

“CFTS Thorough Examinations also ensure the truck meets the rigorous demands of LOLER 98, which covers lifting components, such as the forks and chains, as well as PUWER 98, which governs other critical safety items such as brakes, steering and tyres.

“To protect employers and those working with and alongside fork lift trucks, our 33-point Thorough Examination standard was specially developed for compliance and consistency – so employers can be confident that their trucks are working safely and within the law wherever they are in the UK.”

Mr Mathias concludes: “By specifying a CFTS-accredited examination be assured that you are fulfilling your responsibilities to comply with the law and protect your staff.”