Dangerous loads

by ArabianBusiness.com staff writer on Thursday, 01 March 2007

Aramex: The company ensures staff are fully trained in forklift operations.

In light of the fast-paced growth within the Middle East's logistics industry, it is perhaps understandable why the seemingly basic issue of forklift safety is often swept underneath the company carpet. Unlike the West, which has a history of workers unions, scores of employee litigation for health and safety breaches and a culture of investing in workers, the Middle East is somewhat lagging behind when it comes to ensuring the safe use of the forklift truck in everyday working environments.

Statistics from the UK report 5247 workplace transport-related injuries in 2004/05, including 68 fatalities. Of these, 24% referred to forklift use. Perhaps unsurprisingly, similar statistics are not readily available for related accidents in the Middle East. Yet if these figures reflect the UK's record for forklift related accidents, despite of its strong existing government regulation and heavy penalties for negligent employers, one can only speculate that the Middle East's record could potentially be cause for concern.

Governments in the more industrially advanced regions, such as Dubai, stipulate operators should have a forklift driving licence. However, Danie van Wyk, senior health and safety instructor at the Gulf Technical and Safety Training Centre (GTSC), maintains that the lack of enforcement and follow-up often results in untrained workers operating machinery without the necessary skills or safety training.

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Located in Abu Dhabi, GTSC provides one or two day theoretical and practical training on safe forklift use. However, as van Wyk points out, for many companies, attendance on the course is just a means to an end - to get the certification needed to satisfy their client's paperwork, rather than ensure operators are suitably equipped to operate the machinery. "You have companies who need a number of forklift operators for a particular project. The workers they send for training may have never driven a forklift before, and yet companies expect us to teach the person how to drive and operate the vehicle safely in two days," he says.

Van Wyk worries that forklift safety training in the region can be rendered pointless without the necessary national standards or assessment to ensure that safety measures are adhered to post training. Although he argues that the initiative to change this must come from government regulation, the actual delivery of forklift safety in the workplace can only be achieved by the companies using the equipment themselves.

"Whereas the government could be very strict in terms of legislation on what you do in a public place, what companies do in their private warehouses is less easy to regulate," emphasises VC Vinod, general manager at Yale. "So the onus for monitoring safety has to be passed onto the companies."

As a provider of forklift trucks, Yale recognises the importance of informing companies about using their equipment safely. "As an international company and as a responsible company, we stress to our customers that this is a very dangerous piece of machine, especially as it is operated in a very constrained environment," he explains.

There are various reasons why forklift accidents occur - with operator error being the top of the list. "In a constrained environment, the operator error is often based on a misjudgement of speed, braking, and of load. Although this could also occur if a worker is trained, an operator with inadequate instruction is more likely to lose control of the vehicle," says Vinod.

Saravana Kumar, senior sales engineer at Al Shirawi, the sole distributor of the STILL forklift truck in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, agrees that operator error is a major cause of forklift accidents. "The STILL machines come with the option of changing speeds, with five different drive programmes to be applied in different circumstances. So for example, if the operator is required to travel a long distance along a horizontal floor, than he can go with the maximum speed. But if he is in a very congested area, he is advised to go with the slow speed so that he doesn't hit other moving machines or persons," says Kumar. To help prevent forklift misuse from occurring, Al Shirawi Enterprises sends a technician alongside the machine to provide cost-free training to instruct the customer how to operate the machine safely.

Despite their best efforts, the ongoing problem in the region is, however, that neither the manufacturer nor the supplier of the forklift has any control over whether the worker who ends up using the machine has been trained or not. This is further compounded by the lack of knowledge and commitment to safety standards demonstrated on a management level by many companies. For example, Vinod suggests that whilst the use of non-authorised operators in some countries is unheard of, it is much more common practice in the Middle East to use casual workers where needed to operate forklifts. As many companies in the Middle East are reluctant to invest money in the training of such short-term workers, the number of untrained forklift operators remains unchecked, and companies unaccountable. "So what happens is that if a worker ends up maiming himself or someone else here, you end up just giving him some money and putting him on a plane," he reveals.

There are signs, however, that practice in the Middle East is slowly but surely changing. Many of the Western companies setting up base in the region have been putting into practice the health and safety standards developed in their own countries. "There is definitely a trend towards companies becoming more and more involved with safety. The number of international companies coming into this area have actually helped to grow that awareness considerably," states Sudhir Tripathi, materials handling industry manager at Al Bahar, another distributor of various forklift models in the region. "More and more people have safety on their minds, but many companies haven't formalised their safety practices," he adds. Nonetheless, it is clear that formalised measures are exactly what the region needs in order to monitor and prevent the number of forklift related accidents.

One possible solution to encourage more formalised practices could be borrowed in terms of making litigation against negligent workplaces by injured workers or third parties more easily accessible in the region, as it is in many Western countries. "If courts started a precedent that said anyone who was injured could go to a tribunal or court and quickly get redress, and then a few strong cases came out where hefty awards are given against the employers of the injured, that could work," considers Vinod of Yale. "The key question for companies has to be what is the purely economical risk of an untrained person driving a truck - ultimately the fear of losing money is a major deterrent for companies."

Technological developments could also be used to help companies to regulate forklift use. Smart card technology, for example, allows strict password-only access control to the forklift, ensuring that only an authorised operator can use a specific piece of equipment. Such technology can be used further when linked to a shock sensor to monitor the driving of the operator and highlight incidences of misuse. "Some of our customers use software programmes with the machines, such as ‘Fleet Manager'," adds Kumar. "A card is inserted into the forklift, which is capable of recording accidents. When the driver returns his card at the end of the day, the management can download the data from the card, and learn whether the machine met with an accident that day, whether it had had an impact, or whether it was over speeding."

Even with technological advances and the fear of litigation, improvements in forklift safety can only move forward when the companies themselves begin to take the issue more seriously. "This can only be impacted by companies taking more ownership, and being more aware of these machines and the damage they can do," argues Vinod of Yale.

Indeed, companies in the region could learn a lesson from one Arab-based company which is paving the way in terms of forklift safety in the workplace, the international express operator Aramex. Hussein Hachem, vice president for UAE and Oman at Aramex explains why this is the case. "In all our facilities, in particular the logistics centres and operations facilities, we rely heavily on our technology and highly skilled, trained people. Equipment such as hi-tech forklifts and powered industrial trucks are essential to the efficient operation of our facilities and the quality of our services."

Aramex takes health and safety issues in the workplace very seriously. "Staff are fully trained in the use of all equipment, including use of the forklifts. Training is an ongoing process and staff members are required to rigorously apply safety regulations and guidelines," asserts Hachem. "They are obliged to have the necessary driving licences and to fill in truck specifications and maintenance sheets, and daily checklists as part of their regular routine. Machinery is regularly checked and maintained to the highest performance standard."

The key to the company's strategy for safe forklift use stems from creating an operating environment which is conducive to the efficient movement of trucks. With maintenance and checks on floor conditions, temperature, ramps and inclines as part of the regular routine, forklift safety signs are posted all around the facility to remind operators of specific safety guidelines on areas such as lowering loads while driving and wearing seat belts. All trucks are equipped with safety attachments such as overhead guards and vertical backrests.

As a fast growing company in an increasingly competitive logistics sector, Aramex recognises the importance of having such standards in place as part of the package in attracting more clients to outsourcing their warehousing requirements to their 3PL and 4PL teams. Whilst Hachem acknowledges that accidents can still occur, safety always needs to be a priority. "Whether this is the result of internal prompting or external pressure it is always welcome if safety is enhanced. As a leading operator we have a role to play in setting and maintaining standards and we believe our track record proves we are meeting expectations," he asserts.

With such an impressive commitment to forklift safety in a region where the whole issue of workplace safety can often be overlooked, Aramex provides a beacon of good practice for other companies to take on board.

Essential checks for forklift safety

All drivers of industrial power trucks and forklifts must be properly trained in their use, and must be aware of the machine’s limitations. Daily checks should be carried out to ensure the safety of these trucks. Checks should also be carried out at each operator/shift change. Such checks shall include:

• That any faults previously entered in the logbook have been rectified. Note: Any faults affecting the safe operation of the forklift truck prohibits its use until, the fault has been rectified;

• That the brakes operate properly when the trucks are operated in either direction;

• That tyres are in satisfactory condition, free of foreign embedded materials, and if pneumatic, are inflated to the correct pressure, which is marked on the truck body above the wheel;

• That the horn or such other warning device works correctly;

• That the chains, chain mountings and forks are not cracked damaged or distorted;

• That there is no hydraulic fluid leaking, as shown if there are patches on the floor or traces of fluid on pipe work;

• That the hydraulic fluid levels are correct. Report if not, as this may indicate fluid loss;

• That all controls indicators and instruments are working correctly;

• That the battery fluid level is correct;

• That the fuel level is sufficient for the job in hand. Note: Never refuel a truck whilst the engine is running. Wipe away any spillage, replace filler cap, and allow any spilt fuel to evaporate before starting the engine. Never smoke or use a naked flame when checking fuel and battery levels;

• That the fire extinguisher is in position;

• That all covers/guards are properly fitted and secured.

Checklist provided courtesy of Gulf Technical & Safety Training Centre (GTSC) Forklift Operator Course Notes. For more information, please visit www.gulftech.co.ae

“There is definitely a trend towards companies becoming more and more involved with safety.”

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