As we all know, that feeling when you are nailing it at work can certainly be satisfying. But how do you know that you are really performing at the top of your game? Well, last year’s Australian Forklift Champion Andrew Galea has a trophy to prove it.

I asked the Krost Furniture storeman, and seasoned warehouse all-rounder, about the difference between driving a forklift in the high-pressure competition arena and the fast-paced hustle of a warehouse environment.

RC: How did you first fall into working in warehouse operations and with forklifts? What initially drew you to the job?

AG: I've always been around machines from a young age. I initially started unloading containers before deciding I wanted to become an operator. Once I got my forklift licence, I started looking for a pick/packing role, and over the years I have honed my operating skills. At Krost I started in a production role and worked my way up to becoming an all-rounder, which helped me to become the operator I am today!
 
RC: What are the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of your role at Krost?

AG: I don't really find things challenging here because the most rewarding thing is the team/family I work with. Whenever we have anything remotely difficult, we all band together to find the best way possible to work through it. 

RC: There must be a need to be very careful when handling goods to avoid damage, working at a furniture provider. What are the trickiest items to move? Has it ever gone wrong for you?
 
AG: Items from our manufacturing department (cabinetry, desktops, units etc.) would be the riskiest as most can’t be wrapped to the pallet. So with precision, and slow and steady movements, we move these all around the warehouse. Thankfully I have not caused any damage to things like this!

RC: As the winner of last year’s Australian Forklift Championships, you have proven yourself to be a very skilled forklift operator. What are the key skills needed to operate at that level?

AG: I may have won the championship but I've been in the industry for over 10 years on and off. I think being at the level in which I perform comes down to the experience gained from my day-to-day work, always ensuring my surroundings are safe and taking care to make the surrounding safe for others – things like adjusting speed and stopping, coming in and out of blind spots, and using the horn all the time!

RC: What additional skills do you need to call on when operating in a busy warehouse? Have these been learned on the job or can it all be put down to proper training?

AG: As mentioned you need to rely heavily on what you have available to you–mirrors, horns and our advanced warning lights, plus of course the flashing lights on top of our forklifts! It’s important to always check, even if you see the coast is clear, because you never know what others are going to do.

RC: What has the experience of participating in a forklift competition given to you personally? Do you think this is something that companies should organise on a smaller scale?

AG: This definitely brought our warehouse closer together. We wear our jerseys to work and even when we are out and about, including when we went to dinner to celebrate the win! I feel this would be an amazing thing for companies to incorporate on a smaller scale.

RC: One of the key motivations behind forklift competitions is to spotlight the importance of the skilled and safe operation of forklifts. What do you think is the biggest barrier to safe forklift operation on the floor in warehouses?

AG: I feel in the competition if I didn't have all my experience from years of operating a forklift, I would have failed quite quickly. But over the years you start to feel the size of the machine you work on, and it becomes almost second nature – like knowing the size of the car you drive! The forever changing environment of a warehouse is the biggest risk, with other operators driving and pedestrians walking around, you never know what someone is going to do.

RC: What do you like to do when you are not at work?

AG: Funnily enough, I game and I've been known to play some games like farm simulator where I’m able to use a forklift and load/unload trucks. It's fair to say I enjoy driving forklifts a little too much!

I also like to tinker in the garage, whether it’s making something or working on cars, and I love being with my friend group.

Andrew and his teammates will compete to defend the title for the Australian Forklift Championships this year, with all funds raised during the event donated to Healthy Heads in Trucks & Sheds, an organisation dedicated to promoting mental health and wellbeing within Australia's industrial sector.