ITA's 2014 National Safety Day meeting

A task force for the Industrial Truck Association (ITA) is developing a strategy for National Forklift Safety Day on 9 June.

Jeff Rufener, president of Toyota Material Handling USA Inc, is chairman of the task force, which will gather for face-to-face discussions during ITA's spring meeting on 16-18 March in Washington.

Task force members include Chuck Pascarelli, president of sales and marketing Americas for Nacco Materials Handling Group Inc; Michael Grossman, executive vice president and general counsel of Clark Material Handling Co; Kevin Krakora, director of product marketing and services for Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc; James Radous III, executive vice president of sales for UniCarriers Americas Corp; Dave Norton, vice president of customer solutions for Raymond Corp; and Aurelio Carinci, vice president of sales and marketing for Bolzoni Auramo Inc.

ITA organised its first National Forklift Safety Day in June 2014, with events and presentations in Washington and elsewhere to educate customers, policymakers and the administration on forklift operating safety practices. ITA members made personal visits to more than 35 members of the US Senate and US House of Representatives.

Some ITA members held in-plant National Forklift Safety Day events in their communities and helped generate news media coverage supporting the association's objective to raise awareness of the importance of continued operator training.