As an instructor, when you encounter new equipment (forklifts, attachments, etc) with unfamiliar controls or handling characteristics, what methods do you use to prepare yourself for the instruction you will provide? For myself, here are some of the things I do, but I don't believe this list is exhaustive:
1. Acquire any and all literature, or videos that provide "how-to" information.
2. Ask the person who purchased, or is purchasing, the unfamiliar equipment to get a dealership representative to demo the use of it on-site.
3. Personally practice with it until I can master the use of it in the environment where the operators are working.
4. Produce written behavioral standards that describe how well any operator will be able and required to use it in their work tasks (precision, speed, etc.).
Are there other actions you might add to this "unfamiliar equipment" instructional preparation list?
Best wishes,
Joe M.
LIFTORdotCOM
Showing items 1 - 4 of 4 results.
Thanks to Normandy and joseph_h, the "unfamiliar equipment" instructional preparation list" can expand to at least one more relevant action item:
5. Match the manufacturer's name plate "rating(s)" with the specific attachment(s) used. (If the name plate information is missing or illegible, get from the manufacturer a replacement nameplate with accurate ratings including the attachment(s), or some other form of manufacturer's written approval.
joseph h
Here is a puzzle for you to solve. I once worked with a customer, a large nationally recognized account, that:
1. Wanted to be totally OSHA compliant on his lift trucks - all equipped with a 78"-80" lift masts - trucking company.
2. They asked for a single name plate that would reflect the trucks lift capacity at every hook position when a fork mounted jib boom was installed - as I recall the hook position were in 6" increment starting a 24" thru 72" or a total of 8 position - typical name plates provide a max of 3 spaces for alternate ratings. Our company's answer was to give them a placard for each truck they owned of our brand with the various ratings & place it in the operators pouch and advised them to put a note on the boom to refer to the placard when using this attachment. The lift truck manufacturer I'm referring to is no longer in business along with their corporate offices.
What say you?
joe m:
Verify that the user has written approval from the forklift manufacturer for the use of any specific attachment, etc.
U.S. OSHA, 1910.178(a)(4):
" Modifications and additions which affect capacity and safe operation shall not be performed by the customer or user without manufacturers prior written approval. Capacity, operation, and maintenance instruction plates, tags, or decals shall be changed accordingly. "
Hi Joe
as always your assessment is pretty accurate.
In our legalistic world and with laywers begging for business, writing instructions for other peoples machinery is a subject that needs to be treated with caution, even though sometimes these machines are supplied with little or nothing as to regards operating instructions.
One issue that needs to be covered however is how attachments derate the Forklift, again this can at times be considerable.
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