Flashback to last year's contest

RTITB is extending the entry deadline for the International Forklift Operator of the Year 2016 competition until 5th August, giving employers more time to enter their operators into the global competition.

The popular competition, which takes place every three years, aims to find the safest and most skilled forklift drivers from around the world and reward their dedication to safe operation.

Rather than closing on 1st July, employers and drivers now have until 5th August to enter the competition and complete the initial online test.

"Since entries opened in April, lots of employers from around the world have already entered their forklift operators in the competition," explains Laura Nelson, managing director of RTITB, the preferred regulatory body for workplace transport training. "However, as the closing date approached, we were getting such high demand from companies for entry packs, we wanted to give employers as much time as possible to get their drivers involved and ensure that nobody misses out on this unique opportunity."

The first phase of the competition, open to anyone trained on a counterbalance truck in the last five years, is an online test which covers practical skills, underpinning knowledge, attitude, pre-use inspection knowledge and efficiency skills.

After the online testing stage is complete, the 40 top-scoring entrants will be invited to participate in a series of heats for the second phase of the competition.

Taking place in front of an international audience at IMHX 2016 in Birmingham from 13th-16th September, competing drivers will complete a theory test, a pre-shift test and two practical driving tests, all specially designed to assess the different skills and knowledge needed for safe, efficient forklift operation.

The 10 best competitors from the IMHX heats will then qualify for the grand final of the competition.