A survey of companies owning and operating forklifts has found that most Thorough Examinations do not meet user expectations.

About 93% of owners "make wrong assumptions" over what is covered by the UK forklift safety inspection. A majority are confused by what exactly is included in the forklift safety inspection and who is responsible for ensuring a forklift conforms to legal requirements.

On a positive note, the research confirmed that a concerted campaign has had a dramatic impact on awareness of Thorough Examination. When asked in a 2005 survey whether the forklift safety inspection was a legal requirement or merely "good practice", about half answered correctly. Today, that number has risen to an impressive 76%.

However, about 93% of respondents incorrectly assumed that any Thorough Examination would automatically include an inspection of their forklift's brakes as a matter of course.

Simon Emery, chairman of Consolidated Fork Truck Services which commissioned the research, says confusion arises because unlike the safety inspection for a car, the requirements of a Thorough Examination are open to interpretation.

"In effect, the body providing the inspection is able to decide what should and shouldn't be included. The nub of the problem is that the inspection of forklifts is governed by two separate pieces of legislation: Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 98) and Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER 98).

"However, an alarming number of inspectors only include those items covered by LOLER - such as mast, chains and forks - within their inspection. In doing so they totally ignore crucial areas such as overhead guards, steering, brakes and other vital components... As a result, managers and directors responsible for forklifts may fall foul of PUWER 98 legislation on ensuring the suitability of workplace equipment," Emery explains.

It was to overcome this situation that the UK forklift industry's two leading associations - the British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) and the Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA), with the support of the HSE - joined forces to create a single, national procedure for forklift safety inspection (Forkliftaction.com News #133).

The result is a comprehensive procedure and strict code of practice, a program of engineer and management training and the mechanism to monitor standards under the CFTS brand name. Companies accredited to the scheme - there are around 400 of them in the UK - can be identified via the distinctive "kite" certification mark.

"Customers need to be aware that all Thorough Examinations are not the same. Some are more thorough than others. My advice to those responsible for the upkeep of forklifts [is they] should seek clarification on exactly what is being inspected - or they will get less than they bargained for," Emery cautions.

An interactive online tool that identifies which parts of a forklift are covered by LOLER, and which by PUWER (along with details of CFTS accredited companies) can be found at www.thoroughexamination.org.

CFTS, a joint venture by the Fork Lift Truck Association and the British Industrial Truck Association, conducted telephone interviews with UK forklift users for the survey. The users came from a broad cross-section of industrial classifications and fleet sizes to ensure a representative sample.