Thorough Examination
A Legal Requirement for Forklift Safety
If you operate a fork lift truck, you have a legal obligation to ensure that it holds a valid Report of Thorough Examination. This applies whether you own, lease or hire the truck.
Failing to comply can have serious consequences for you and your business: you could be prosecuted, your insurance could be invalidated, or worst of all, you could be responsible for a serious accident due to unsafe equipment. Don't let this happen to you.
Morrison Fork Truck Services is the only CFTS accredited examiner for Thorough Examination in Derbyshire. Contact us today for more information or to book a Thorough Examination.
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions about Thorough Examination from CFTS:
- Who are CFTS and what is the fork lift truck industry scheme for Thorough Examination?
- The national Thorough Examination scheme has been developed by Consolidated Fork Truck Services (CFTS).
- CFTS is a joint venture between:
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- The British Industrial Truck Association (BITA)
- The Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA)
- These are the two major industry trade organisations in materials handling. They represent manufacturers, dealers and suppliers of related products, as well as the actual users of equipment covered by the Thorough Examination regulations.
- They are also the acknowledged experts on Thorough Examination of fork lift trucks
- They developed the scheme in close association with the Health and Safety Executive and in consultation with the whole industry.
- Its keystones are:
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- a definitive examination process agreed by the industry
- a Quality Assurance Procedural Code
- an effective accreditation process
- Quite simply, the scheme's aim is to ensure uniformly high standards in implementation of Thorough Examination... and to improve safety across the whole of British industry.
- What is Thorough Examination?
- Thorough Examination is a bit like a car's MOT.
- Both a Thorough Examination and an MOT are means of certifying that, at the time of testing, all components which have a bearing on safety have been formally inspected and assessed as being in a safe condition.
- Just as a car's MOT and 10,000 mile service are two different things, so Thorough Examination is distinctly separate from a truck's regular maintenance programme (even though in both cars and trucks some of the same items are included in both regimes). It is not part of maintenance - it is an examination embedded in legislation. As a result, Thorough Examination would not normally be included in a maintenance agreement, unless specifically requested.
- Is Thorough Examination a legal requirement, like the MOT for cars?
- Yes. It is required under two pieces of Health and Safety legislation:
- LOLER 98 (Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998) - which covers lifting components.
- PUWER 98 (Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998) - which deals with all other safety-related items, such as brakes, steering and tyres.
- As a user of fork lift equipment, what are my obligations?
- Every truck you have in service, including hired trucks, must have a current Report of Thorough Examination. This is akin to the MOT certificate.
- (The only exceptions are brand new trucks, although these must be subject to Thorough Examination at some point within a year of their acquisition.)
- The document must be headed Report of Thorough Examination.
- It must comply with Schedule 1 of LOLER 98.
- You must be able to produce it when required to do so by an enforcement officer.
- The responsibility for obtaining this Report of Thorough Examination lies with you, the user of the truck (whether you own, lease or hire). The only exception may be for a truck operating under a short-term contract of less than a year, in which case the hiring company should provide you with a copy of the current report of Thorough Examination.
- How often must a Thorough Examination be carried out?
- At least every 12 months. Depending on the application, the intensity of use and the nature of any attachments, the regulations may require this interval to be reduced to 6 or even 4 months.
- The person carrying out the Thorough Examination - the 'Competent Person' - will be able to determine the appropriate interval.
- The same person should also be consulted for advice on whether planned changes to the truck's operation or configuration will alter this interval.
- Are all examiners covered by the CFTS scheme?
- No. Only accredited companies are entitled to use the CFTS certification. They gain the right to do so by establishing their competence and committing themselves to following all of the approved processes. They must be open to independent assessment and to a complaints procedure. The strict standards ensured by the CFTS scheme only apply to Thorough Examinations conducted by these accredited companies.
- How does a company become accredited to the CFTS Thorough Examination scheme?
- The application procedure requires each company to supply detailed information about the staff who will be involved in the Thorough Examination process, right down to depot level, and the procedures they will use.
- It must also demonstrate that it has the necessary equipment, facilities and training programmes. If its application is accepted, it must agree to:
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- Abide by the strict Quality Assurance Procedural Code
- Allow inspection of its work by CFTS
- Respect the decisions of arbitration
- Use the official CFTS documentation.
If you would like more information about Thorough Examination or to book a Through Examination for your forklift truck call us on 01335 300633, or fill in our online contact form.
