The leaflet illustrates the difference between a LOLER-only Thorough Examination and the CTFS approach.

A simple leaflet created to help forklift engineers explain the importance of Thorough Examination has to be reprinted due to popular demand.

Consolidated Fork Truck Services (CFTS) originally distributed the information to its 425 accredited member companies to serve as a talking point with customers. However, the enthusiastic response from forklift operators, owners and users has led CFTS to make it more widely available.

The double-sided, laminated leaflet illustrates the difference between a LOLER-only Thorough Examination, which focuses on a forklift's lifting parts, and the CTFS approach, which ensures the entire vehicle is safe to use.

CFTS chairman Richard Hayes says: "Research shows most forklift owners and operators simply assume their regular Thorough Examination has checked the whole truck.

"This could lead to a potentially unsafe situation as it may mean the brakes, tyres, counterbalance fittings - in fact, over a dozen vital safety aspects - never get checked."

Hayes says although Thorough Examination is set out in LOLER 98, failure to ensure the entire truck is safe could land a person in trouble under PUWER 98.
"This leaflet is great, because it makes it really clear: one side shows what's covered as a bare minimum legal LOLER 98 Thorough Examination. The other shows the standard CFTS checks. It really speaks for itself."

To download a copy of the leaflet, visit www.thoroughexamination.org.