WorkCover NSW states that; "Attachments include any side shift devices, jibs, extension tynes and specifically designed devices for load manipulation or carrying."

It is crucial to remember that if an attachment is fitted to a forklift, the dynamic and operating characteristics may change, making it necessary to de-rate the forklift capacity and restrict some operating controls. A change in a forklift's centre of gravity may make the forklift unstable and susceptible to tipping over incidents. All forklifts must have details of the attachments and the rated capacity when using the attachment listed on the forklift's load rating plate.

Attachments must be designed for the forklift that they are to be fitted to. Make sure the attachment is secured correctly and safely on the forklift. Because different attachments have a different effect on the forklift's capacity and stability, it is advised to always travel at a safe speed and take greater care when manoeuvring the forklift. When selecting an attachment, WorkCover NSW advises that attachments must be:

• Designed by a competent engineer
• Manufactured by competent people
• Safely used on the forklift

Specific skills require additional training and supervision. Employers must ensure that where attachments are used, further training is given to forklift operators and adequate supervision is provided. It's important that operators understand the effect attachments have on a forklift's capabilities before they operate it.

MLA Holdings are able to rate and fit a wide variety of attachments to its Mitsubishi forklifts. All attachments provided by MLA are manufactured by and sourced from competent suppliers.

Information for this article was sourced from WorkCover NSW.

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The 2006 WorkCover NSW Code of Practice for Work Near Overhead Power Lines, states:

"Before operating a crane or item of mobile plant, the operator or other person in control of the work must take reasonable care to inspect the workplace to identify potential hazards, including any live overhead power lines or other associated electrical apparatus in the vicinity of the workplace. All overhead power lines should be treated as live unless the operator of the crane or mobile plant has received an access authority or other form of written documentation from the network operator."

If overhead power lines have been identified as a hazard, a risk assessment must be completed that considers, but is not limited to the following factors:

• Consulting the network operator regarding the proposed work.
• Can the electricity supply be de-energised?
• The location and voltage of the overhead power lines.
• The nature of work undertaken.
• The safe work practices and procedures in use.
• Site conditions, stability of crane or mobile plant and suspended loads.
• The potential for inadvertent movement of the crane or mobile plant, the load, persons and electrical equipment in the area.
• Foreseeable abnormal conditions that may exist at the worksite.  

Having assessed the risks, action must be taken to ensure that the risks are eliminated or controlled. Some steps to consider include:

Elimination - Eliminate the risk of electrocution, electric shock or burns by arranging for the network operator to isolate the electricity supply for the duration of the work.

Separation – If the risk cannot be eliminated, then separate the hazard from the crane or mobile plant and personnel by using alternative equipment, and/or limiting the hoisting, slewing and other movements of the crane or mobile plant.

Information for this article was sourced from WorkCover NSW. For further overhead power line safety information, including a full risk assessment and additional control measures, refer to "Work Near Overhead Power Lines: Code of Practice, 2006."

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Work Safe Australia states:

"A person conducting a business or undertaking at a workplace must not direct or allow a worker to carry out high risk work for which a high risk work licence is required unless the person sees written evidence provided by the worker that the worker has the relevant high risk work licence for that work."

Training to obtain a high risk work licence must be undertaken with a Registered Training Organisation (RTO).

By successfully obtaining a high risk forklift licence, workers develop the skills required to keep themselves and others out of danger at the workplace. These skills will allow for safer operation of forklifts, simplified identification of potential hazards, and the use of effective control measures. Employers in the meantime can rest assured knowing all their operators are trained and qualified.

In addition to improved workplace safety, completing a forklift training course increases productivity and efficiency. Being familiar with a forklift's features and capabilities prior to commencing work will allow operators to complete tasks in a more productive manner. Furthermore, operators will already be familiar with pre and post operational checks, identifying potential defects and damage on the forklift. This is likely to result in reduced costs and an overall more efficient operation.

Hiring qualified operators is not always enough. To ensure workplace safety is always at the forefront, managers and supervisors should provide site and equipment specific training to maintain and enhance operators' skills. Regular refresher training is also recommended.

WorkCover NSW suggests that a person wishing to be assessed for operation of a forklift must have attained the age of 18. The licence to perform high risk work is valid in every Australian state and territory.

Information for this article was sourced from Safe Work Australia and WorkCover NSW.

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The preparatory committee will be jointly operated by MHI, Mitsubishi Nichiyu Forklift and UniCarriers, with MHI Director and Senior Executive Vice President Atsushi Maekawa serving in charge. The committee will, to the extent permissible under applicable laws (including antitrust or competition laws), draw up business policies and strategies to further enhance the reputation as a world-class manufacturer of logistics machinery and equipment.

In today's forklift industry, amid intensifying global competition, scale expansion is becoming increasingly important for securing profitability. Scale expansion has also become indispensable in the realm of research and development, including new technologies, as the industry increasingly faces the need to respond to global environmental issues.

Through the acquisition of UniCarriers, MHI and Mitsubishi Nichiyu Forklift will achieve a full lineup of product offering, giving them greater response capacity to customers' diverse needs. The move is also targeted at enhancing the companies' R&D capabilities and boosting their product competitiveness. Furthermore, through mutually complementary sales networks, MHI's and Mitsubishi Nichiyu Forklift's global expansion opportunities will be enhanced, thereby strengthening their business foundations and enabling expansion in business scale. In addition, by aggregating the cutting-edge innovative technologies of the MHI group companies, the acquisition of UniCarriers is aimed at creating products of high added value and a business model transcending the conventional parameters of the logistics machinery and equipment industry.

Sourced from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, LTD.

The key role mobile phones play in distracting forklift operators is to take their attention away from the task at hand, whether it's brief or prolonged. Workplace and warehouse environments, where forklifts commonly operate, are generally confined and high traffic areas. Forklifts are often in close proximity to pedestrians, expensive goods, and other machinery. To ensure the safe operation of forklifts and reduce the risk to others, operators' full attention is required at all times.

Mobile phones can also be distracting even when they aren't being used. Operators can lose control of their forklift when seeking to grab an unsecured item that is in danger of falling within the cab area. These items are often mobile phones; however they can also be something as trivial as a pen. The problem is that it's a reflex response and it takes at least one or both hands away from the controls.

Because it's not against the law, allowing mobile phone use whilst operating forklifts is a decision that needs to be made by management. The first thing to do is carry out a Risk Assessment to determine when and if mobile phone use is necessary at your workplace.

Taking or making personal calls while at the wheel should most certainly be prohibited. Where there is a legitimate reason for using the phone for work purposes, a hands-free kit or other safer communication systems should be considered.

It is strongly advised to avoid using mobile phones when operating a forklift. Just as they are to drivers on the roads, mobile phones are a risky distraction to operators of forklifts. After carrying out a Risk Assessment, it is up to management to establish rules regarding mobile phone use at the workplace and enforce them.

Information for this article was sourced from www.forkliftbriefing.co.uk.

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A tipping forklift is one of the most common causes of forklift related deaths and injury. A forklift tips when its stability is compromised, and speed is a regular cause of forklift instability. Operating a forklift at a speed that's needlessly fast or above the workplace limit can also cause the forklift to become uncontrollable, make it difficult to spot hazards, and enhance the probability of collisions. By speeding, the operator is unnecessarily putting themselves, other operators, and all nearby pedestrians in grave danger.

Managers and supervisors must impose strict guidelines for forklift safety, including speeding. There are numerous ways to achieve effective speed control in the workplace:

• Ensure speed limits are clearly marked and visible in and around the workplace. Enforce these limits at all times.
• Ensure speed limits match the working environment and conditions. Indoor speeds limits and those in high traffic areas may need to be different to those that are outdoors and in open space.
• Do not burden operators with unrealistic workloads and deadlines that will encourage speeding in order to achieve them.
• Where possible, separate forklifts and pedestrians. In cases where full separation cannot occur, reduce speed limits to walking pace.
• Train operators at regular intervals to keep the idea of safety fresh on their minds.
• Ensure all forklifts are equipped with speed limiting devices.

Speed limiting devices are an effective way of controlling speed. They allow you to dictate the speed of the forklift depending on the environmental conditions, weight and height of the load, and the turning radius of the forklift. A speed limiting device is a standard feature on Mitsubishi forklifts. Furthermore, MLA technicians can set a certain speed on the forklift that operators will not be able to tamper with, thus taking away the opportunity to go faster than the established limit.

Just as it is with cars on the road, speeding with a forklift at the workplace is nothing short of foolish, needlessly compromising the safety of many.

Information for this article was sourced from SafeWork Australia & WorkSafe VIC.

Download the pdf here.