The 2010 Forklift Championship. Photo source: Australian Warehousing Association

The national forklift championship this year is set to be bigger than ever, with more in-house competitions, greater female participation, competitors from New Zealand taking part and a change from using counterbalance forklifts to reach trucks.

Organiser Bill Henman tells Forkliftaction.com News that drivers competing in in-house heats can use either type of forklift, but the state heats and grand final will only use reach trucks.

With the new national OHS harmonisation legislation process under way, forklift licensing, training and assessment Australia-wide will change and new operators will need to be better trained to meet the new requirements and existing operators will need to be deemed as competent operators as part of that process, says Henman.

"Each state will need to implement the model legislation to ensure its success. Potentially, lots of change is coming your way."