The Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA) will stage its first-ever safety conference at the Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon, near Warwick, on September 24.

FLTA chairman Brian Warbrick said strong demand from members of the association's Safe User Group weighed heavily on the decision to host the event. The conference would promote safety as an essential element of materials handling.

"We have organised this conference to bring real, practical safety issues to people who can influence the work environment, such as operations, safety and training managers," Mr Warbrick said.

"In view of the huge potential for legal problems, economic losses and human tragedies if safety is not prioritised and understood, our message is: can you afford not to be there?"

Subjects to be covered include:
~ Health and safety issues;
~ Forklift operations best practice;
~ Use of working platforms;
~ Working with attachments;
~ Thorough examination;
~ Manual handling;
~ Racking safety; and
~ Training.

"This is a very significant development which will do much to broaden knowledge of safety issues," Mr Warbrick said.

"We anticipate that, like the FLTA awards for excellence, the safety conference will become a key annual event in the materials handling calendar."