New laminated information leaflets from Consolidated Fork Truck Services (CFTS) explain why it is every bit as important for rough terrain lift trucks and telehandlers to have a full Thorough Examination.

CFTS has produced two new versions of its popular Thorough Examination information leaflets, to focus on trucks commonly used in the construction and agriculture industries.

Each illustrates the difference between a LOLER-only Thorough Examination, which may focus on the lifting parts of the truck, and the CFTS approach, which looks at safe use of the whole vehicle.

Thorough examination of industrial lift trucks is required under health and safety law: LOLER 1998, which covers lifting equipment, and with safety inspections under PUWER 1998, which deals with all other safety-related items, such as brakes, steering and tyres. Regular inspections as part of a preventive maintenance scheme or scheduled service are not a thorough examination.

A first round of the laminated leaflets, which helped engineers to explain the many points covered by Thorough Examination for a counterbalance forklift, proved so successful that a reprint was needed because many lift truck owners asked to keep them for reference.

CFTS chairman Mike Mathias said: “The original information leaflets were a great success, but only really covered the standard counterbalance trucks working in a yard or warehouse setting. But a great number of trucks operate outside of this environment, and getting the message across in these other sectors is every bit as important in helping raise safety standards.

“A full Thorough Examination – covering not just LOLER 98, but PUWER 98 too – is a central part of lift truck safety, and it’s essential that anybody running one understands what’s involved.”