Mentor wants to recruit forklift instructors based in Scotland.

UK forklift and mobile plant trainer Mentor has revealed that after nine years of decline, forklift accidents in Scotland are now on the rise.

The company has just started a recruitment drive for local forklift and mobile plant trainers, also revealing provisional figures from the Health and Safety Executive for 2010/11 showing a 4.8% increase in serious forklift accidents.

A serious forklift accident is one that results in workers requiring three or more days off work.

Since Mentor opened its Livingston office and training centre in 2008, the number of instructors covering training in Scotland has almost trebled and, by adding to their ranks, the organisation aims to ensure even better availability for their customers.

Between 2001/02 and 2008/09, the number of workers injured in incidents involving forklifts fell by 52%.

"We have seen very significant improvements to the safety record and that's been achieved through good practice and training," says Mentor managing director Richard Shore.

"These latest figures are by no means a sign of things to come. Instead, they should act as a strong reminder that improving safety is an on-going process whose foundations are good practice and high calibre training provision."

Mentor is currently recruiting forklift and mobile plant instructors in six areas - Arbroath, Perth, Dundee, Montrose, Forfar and Aberdeen.

Mentor marketing and sales administrator Amy Alton says there is no set number of forklift instructors that the firm is recruiting, but "it really depends on the calibre of the candidates".