The Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA) is running its Safetember month-long forklift safety campaign, working closely with media outlets, training companies, partner organisations and trade associations on a range of initiatives and resources designed to help reduce the severity and frequency of forklift accidents in the United Kingdom.

This year, FLTA is working in close collaboration with the United Kingdom Warehousing Association (UKWA), whose 650-plus members are collectively responsible for ensuring the safety of tens of thousands of workers who come into contact with forklifts during the course of their workday. Because of this, their commitment is crucial to influencing behaviours and attitudes towards lifting equipment, says an FLTA statement.

According to the association, the reason Safetember is so important is because the ubiquitous forklift is the most dangerous form of workplace transport in the UK; it is responsible for more accidents and serious injuries every year than even heavy goods vehicles.

"As an industry, we bear witness to over 1,300 forklift accidents a year, which means, on average, there are five accidents every workday in the UK. All of these accidents are avoidable, and we believe a lasting change in workplace attitudes and culture is necessary from everyone who works on a forklift site in order to change this."

The association is urging members to engage in the discussions, explore the wide range of resources on the FLTA website, check out the fact sheets, download the posters and videos, take part in the online assessment tool - and do everything they can to improve safety and ensure the safety of their colleagues.