England 14/09/2013 – With the recession, ending the use of mechanical handling equipment is once again growing.
After years of falling sales, demand for all kinds of heavy handling equipment is finally on the increase. The fact that more UK firms are manufacturing, selling and exporting naturally means that more goods are being moved using forklift trucks. For the mechanical handling equipment sector this is very good news indeed. It means that demand for forklifts is once again strong and set to grow rapidly over the next few years.
However, this growth in demand is not all good news. At this year’s National Forklift Safety Conference, Stuart Taylor warned delegates of the correlation between growth and the number of forklift accidents that occur. Most delegates were aware that during a recession companies have a tendency to cut corners, which in turn leads to a spike in forklift accidents. However, few knew that a prolonged period of growth could also lead to a spike in these kinds of accidents. Mr Taylor explained that in a post recession environment workers are often required to work longer hours at a more intense pace.
Training helps
He then went on to highlight the role focus on health and safety combined with proper training plays in keeping forklift accidents to a minimum. This is something firms like Western Lift Trucks, who have been selling and leasing mechanical handling equipment in the South West for 30 years, have long been aware of. Quite early on, they realised that it was not simply enough to sell and hire out forklifts. They understood that, in the inexperienced hands, these pieces of heavy machinery could be lethal, so decided to add training to their package of services. Over the years, they have helped many of their clients and their workers to stay safe and get the most out of their forklifts. With the proper training staff remain safe as well as work more efficiently. Their courses have grown in popularity with most of their clients choosing to put their staff through the course. The fact that the new version of the HSE L117 Approved Code of Practice now requires managers to undergo compulsory safety training means that demand for forklift training is set to grow even more over the next few years.
To find out more about the training West Lift Truck offers visit their website http://www.forklifttrucks.biz.
