According to the acting Crown RTO/Training Manager Mike Grogan, regular knowledge and skill updates for drivers not only falls short of requirements, it is sometimes decades behind today’s WorkCover expectations.

“Ability to conduct maintenance checks, knowing appropriate licence requirements, WorkCover Authority expectations, and general operator skills – these are the areas we see as most frequently lagging behind general expectations,” said Mr Grogan.

“This is not to suggest a deliberate evasion of responsibility on behalf of drivers and fleet managers, it is more a highlight of the real problem – that without refresher courses a driver’s skill can languish in the dark ages of forklift operation.”

“Lift truck technology has changed immensely and OH&S regulations have evolved to reflect a much higher level of precision and safety expected from these machines.”

Another area of concern is that until recently each state of Australia conducted its own licence standardisation. However, this was consolidated in 1996 when the states finally adopted a national standard.

“The key issue is that there seemed to be a distinct difference in habits and operating ability between somebody getting a licence in South Australia, compared to someone obtaining theirs in NSW,” said Mr Grogan.

“Any transient lift truck operator could well have ended up in a work zone that he or she may not possess adequate skills and safety awareness to operate in safely.”

Mr Grogan also observes there is a low level of pre-check ability, arguing that proper safety procedures demand every lift truck undergoes a pre-operational check at the beginning of each shift.

“It has always been the operator’s responsibility to pre-check lift trucks using compliance of operation procedures, but not enough drivers have been aware of this”.

“Now, with the standardised national licensing system, penalties for overlooking this requirement and sustaining an accident, perhaps resulting in injuries to people, are substantial with possible resultant high costs, loss to reputation of the business and other penalties.

“Refresher training concentrates not just on these vital issues but also encourages complete understanding of WorkCover requirements to negate the potential for accidents through educating operators in those areas in which they are weakest.

“We even focus on educating drivers and fleet managers on basic issues such as understanding identification plates because the industry now demands lift truck drivers with thorough knowledge of the trucks they operate.