Richard Higgins (let) with Forklfitaction.com News North American bureau chief Roger Renstrom.

Richard E Higgins, 74, applies military skills to industry training programs and forklift safety rodeos such as the annual US Open on 30-31 October in Springfield.

"To be truly effective in the pursuit of forklift safety, one must have a passion for it," the energetic Higgins says. "In production line environments, there is often a get-product-out-the-door focus. It's the nature of the beast."

Higgins challenges any forklift-operator leader or supervisor about qualifications, proficiency and credibility. "Does he or she realise, feel and really understand the demands placed on the forklift operator? Is there any form of leadership training for supervisors? How often, if at all, is a supervisor called on the carpet when a forklift operator violates a rule or is involved in a mishap?"

Both the leader and operator should be held accountable "each and every time" any mishap or rule-lapse occurs, he maintains. "Anything less dooms the accident prevention effort."

Among professional achievements, his Higgins Group Inc of Springfield developed a forklift operator training and skills assessment protocol, or standard operating procedure, for the North American subsidiary of Paris-based Lafarge SA, a producer of construction materials such as cement, aggregates, concrete and gypsum.

Higgins conducts forklift training and evaluation programs at a Lafarge gypsum wallboard plant in Silver Grove, Kentucky and also has direct or indirect roles in programs at other Lafarge facilities in Buchanan, New York; Newark, New Jersey; and Palatka, Florida.

In Silver Grove, "they take it seriously, constantly striving to improve", he notes. Lafarge buys one forklift brand-Toyota-simplifying training and maintenance requirements.

"Many smaller companies have a mixed bag of trucks, which complicates the training issue (and can pose a) challenge to the operator," Higgins says.

With Higgins' encouragement, Lafarge managers use a proactive corrective action program.

Higgins underscores the need for thorough supervisory training. "Properly accomplished, leadership training can reap magnificent results," he notes. "If a supervisor knows his or her performance will be judged severely in the event an operator screws up, he or she will be more inclined to 'buy in' and become a part of the solution."

Consistent and fairly administered enforcement can assist a leader in gaining co-operation and compliance, but "not everyone will be on board", Higgins says. "My favourite is the individual who operated a forklift nearly the complete duration of his shift." When told he had to wear the seatbelt, he whined, "If I have to put the belt on and off every time I have to get on or off this truck, I will never get the job done."

Higgins wonders whether that operator was devoted. "Not really. Ultimately, he was told: wear the seat belt or turn in your hard hat."

Higgins was born in Columbus, Ohio in January 1935 and grew up in that state. He spent summers and two school years on the farm of his maternal grandparents north-west of Urbana, Ohio working with animals, swimming in a creek, running a trap line for muskrats and, at age 11, "driving the Farmall tractor down state highway 29 all by my lonesome", he recalls.

Higgins devoted decades to aviation. He began basic US Air Force training in 1953 and retired in 1990 as a colonel and commander of the Ohio Air National Guard's 178th fighter wing.

In between, he had reams of aircraft pilot experiences, lessons-learned periods, training opportunities and significant recognitions.

After leaving the Air National Guard, Higgins developed and conducted leadership training programs for National Management Systems in Dayton, Ohio beginning in 1990, served as sales manager for automotive window regulator supplier Muncy Corp of Enon, Ohio starting in 1992, co-ordinated safety and training for three Ohio facilities of McGregor Bros Holding Co beginning in 1993, provided safety consultant services through Curtis Management Resources of Fairborn, Ohio from 1996 and was a business manager for KMH Systems in Dayton starting in 1998.

In June 2000, he established the Higgins Group. As chief executive officer, he focuses on providing forklift operator training, creation of multiple competitive forklift rodeos in US and foreign locations and giving expert-witness testimony about forklift safety.

Higgins was a founding member and the first chairman of the Springfield-Clark County Safety Council in 1994 and was instrumental in 1995 in starting a local forklift rodeo, now the US Open. Rodeo chairman Don Amburgey nicknamed event director Higgins as "Big Bug."

Higgins and his team use a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet-based scoring system although he considers the manual posting of scores to have some benefits. "It creates a lot of suspense, gawking and hype, and one can see the whole picture in one look," he reports.

For USD485, Higgins sells rodeo organisers a package including a 300-page instructional manual in a three-ring notebook and consultation services regarding course layouts, possible individual and team events and pre-competition promotion.