Forklift News - **SAFETY FIRST** DEALERS: THE INDUSTRY'S SAFETY AMBASSADORS

My last article discussed the manufacturer's role in forklift safety. This article outlines the next link, forklift dealers, and their role. Having worked for, and with, many dealers, I have concluded there are as many ideas about the role of dealerships in forklift safety as there are dealerships.

The following are some general guidelines. First, the dealer has a responsibility to help the end user find the right forklift for the job. The wrong machine is a recipe for disaster. I have seen many forklifts that are either under capacity or out of their element for the conditions in which they are being used. End users don't have the depth of knowledge a dealer has, and it is the dealer’s responsibility to honestly evaluate the application and recommend the right machine, regardless of what is in stock or on sale at the time.

Secondly, a dealer is a vital link between the manufacturer and the end user. When a customer has a safety or operational question beyond the realm of the dealer's knowledge, it is the dealer's responsibility to contact the manufacturer on their behalf. Good dealers will give guidance and clarification about what can and can't be done with particular forklifts and why. Attachments may be required, masts changed and data plates may need to be altered. Good dealers make this safe and hassle-free for the end user to accomplish.

Lastly, the dealer must give the end user safe forklifts and options to train their operators. Especially with used forklifts, it is common to see them sold without proper safety equipment, such as seatbelts, working horns and operator manuals. Every dealer has a huge checklist for used forklift quality, but only a few really follow it closely. Even smaller dealers, without training departments, can at least make customers aware of the latest available safety training materials. Good quality, reasonably-priced site and equipment-specific materials are out there, it is just a matter of looking hard enough.

David Hoover is president of Forklift Training Systems Inc, a US safety company specialising in site and forklift safety training, training trainers, custom program development and cutting-edge forklift safety products. Contact David Hoover

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