The fourth forklift competition organised by Hactl attracted forklift drivers from six international airlines.

A competition organised by Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Ltd (Hactl) attracted six international airlines to showcase their employees' forklift driving and pallet building skills at the Hong Kong International Airport this month.

The event, on 10 January in the airport's SuperTerminal 1, has been held for the fourth year to promote occupational health and safety, and boost professional cargo handling standards among industry partners.

Managing director of Hactl, Anthony Wong, says safety is "absolutely paramount" in air cargo operations, as well as in the aviation industry.

"As the leading service provider in the air cargo industry, we feel obliged to promote the message of work health and safety to the whole air cargo community," Wong explains.

He adds that Hactl had been making "consistent efforts" to provide a safe environment for its staff and terminal users. In 2009, work injury cases in SuperTerminal 1 were reduced to 55 cases compared with the 90 cases in 2006 when the first forklift competition was held.

Air China Cargo, British Airways World Cargo, EVA Air, Japan Airlines, Cargolux Airlines (represented by LuxairCARGO) and Nippon Cargo Airlines sent their representatives to Hong Kong to compete for 11 titles recognising outstanding operational skills and safety awareness. Hactl also deployed its own team for the competition.

Each team at the event demonstrated forklift operation and pallet building
skills while exhibiting their compliance and awareness of operational safety.

A panel of judges from various industry associations including Cargo Liaison Group and the Hong Kong Occupational Safety and Health Council declared Cargolux Airlines the winner, after its team clinched four award titles - overall champion, champion in the "Pallet Building" category, first runner-up in the "Forklift" category and the "Forklift Driving Safety Award".

The officiating guests who launched the competition were Yau Shing Mu, the Hong Kong Under Secretary for Transport and Housing; Tso Sing Hin, Assistant Commissioner (Occupational Safety) of Hong Kong's Labour Department; and Tang Wah Shing, Executive Director of the Occupational Safety and Health Council.