The Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) president has criticised the provincial employment minister for failure to stem forklift safety problems.

The provincial agency's health and safety inspectors issued 214 orders against employers for forklift-related safety violations during a February-March crackdown, but it is not enough for the AFL.

"We have told Employment and Immigration Minister Thomas Lukaszuk repeatedly that occasional safety blitzes are not enough to solve forklift safety problems in Alberta," says Gil McGowan, AFL president. The federation represents about 140,000 workers.

"If the (Alberta) government was really committed to promoting forklift safety, it would follow the lead of Manitoba and institute a mandatory system for training and certification of forklift operators," McGowan notes. "We require people to pass licensing tests before they can get behind the wheel of a car or a truck. But no such requirements are in place for forklifts. It just doesn't make sense."

In a 3 May statement, Lukaszuk says results of the month-long safety blitz focused on forklift and powered mobile equipment show a need for improvement. The occupational health and safety campaign involved 87 employers and 181 inspections.

"Because we announced the inspections in mid-February and businesses expected to see us, I am disappointed to see forklifts and other equipment not properly maintained and operators not adequately trained," Lukaszuk notes. "We've made great gains in this province including the lowest lost-time claim rates ever recorded. However, we clearly have our work cut out in some sectors, and this is one of them."

Of the 214 orders, 24 were related to requirements for proper inspection and maintenance, 20 for failure to conduct a visual inspection prior to operating the equipment, 16 for hazard assessment requirements and 14 for inadequate worker training, competency and proper supervision to safely operate the equipment.

"If there's a bright side, we know that this campaign raised significant awareness among companies that operate this type of equipment," says Lukaszuk. "I understand there was a rush to ensure operators were properly trained and that companies offering training services still have lineups out the door. But it shouldn't take a focused inspection campaign to make that happen. That's the culture we need day in and day out on every worksite in Alberta."

The AFL's McGowan remains dissatisfied and alleges that blitzes are not enough. "I can't understand why the minister and this government continue to reject mandatory training and licensing," he says. "It's a common-sense solution to a serious problem... Proper training and certification have to be mandatory."

McGowan says the Alberta Construction Association representing employers prefers ongoing, random inspections over one-time blitzes.
This forklift effort was the provincial agency's first focused inspection campaign of 2011. Upcoming campaigns include focused inspections on employers of young workers and residential construction.