UKMHA issues High Voltage warning

News Story
- 8 Sep 2022 ( #1093 ) - Birmingham, United Kingdom
1 min read
UKMHA advises on power safety. PHOTO: Wisdom BSL Battery
UKMHA advises on power safety. PHOTO: Wisdom BSL Battery

The UK Material Handling Association (UKMHA) has launched its latest Guidance Note at IMHX. The new GN70 ‘Working On High Voltage MHE’, promotes safe working practices for the inspection, maintenance and repair of high voltage systems on materials handling equipment. 

UKMHA technical director David Goss explains the importance of issuing this new guidance: “Working with high voltage equipment is potentially extremely hazardous if carried out without the correct procedures and training. Safety is at the core of UKMHA and with the continuing trend towards higher voltages, we have published this Guidance Note to highlight the risks associated with working with this type of MHE and detail risk reduction.”

The advancing state of the art in electric trucks increases the voltages that may be encountered when compared with traditional lead acid battery technology of the past. For example, regenerative braking, lithium-ion technology and developments in electric drives all provide opportunities for working at higher voltages. 

Technicians working on materials handling equipment and those employing and supervising their work activities need to be aware of the hazards associated with this equipment and the mitigations that need to be implemented. 

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 require that work on, or near to, an electrical system be carried out so as not to give rise to danger, and the GN explains the practical steps required to achieve this.

This latest Guidance Note explains employers’ obligations and work procedures. It also details the hazards applicable to high voltage equipment and identifies appropriate PPE and tools to carry out maintenance.

GN70 will be available for free to UKMHA members and visitors to IMHX from September and will also be available to purchase from the UKMHA web store.

Briefs
Briefs 3 Jul 2025 - 1 min read
AITT issues reminder on need for certified training
AITT issues reminder on need for certified training 26 Jun 2025 - Hugglescote, United Kingdom - 1 min read
Previously about:
Forklift safety day focuses on human cost of accidents News Story - 22 May 2025 - Berkshire, United Kingdom - 2 min read
UKMHA issues cold start warning News Story - 24 Nov 2022 - Berkshire, United Kingdom - 1 min read
Safety Day marked virtually News Story - 10 Jun 2021 - 4 min read
Do you have materials handling news? Submit your news here

PREMIUM business

Lift Technologies Inc.
Global leader - manufactures masts, carriages, sideshifters & fork positioners

It’s the year 2000. You’re in front of a boxy beige desktop waiting for the screeching ramblings of your dial-up to reach its finale. You go to Yahoo!, MSN, or maybe AOL, and start the mind-numbing process of finding your very specific needle in the digital haystack. And with web pages loading one image at a time, patience isn’t just a virtue – it’s a requirement!

As clumsy as this early iteration seems now, this technology was the great enabler that allowed Forkliftaction to connect to the industry across the globe.  

To everyone who has connected with Forkliftaction in the past 25 years, thank you for your contribution to our success! We feel deeply touched by your words of encouragement.

What has Forkliftaction meant to you? Drop us a line.

Words of support …

At Linde Material Handling, we appreciate Forkliftaction for its competent and informative reporting and its global perspective. Forkliftaction is one of the few industry media with a transnational readership.

Heike Oder, Head of Trade Press

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

It’s the year 2000. You’re in front of a boxy beige desktop waiting for the screeching ramblings of your dial-up to reach its finale. You go to Yahoo!, MSN, or maybe AOL, and start the mind-numbing process of finding your very specific needle in the digital haystack. And with web pages loading one image at a time, patience isn’t just a virtue – it’s a requirement!

As clumsy as this early iteration seems now, this technology was the great enabler that allowed Forkliftaction to connect to the industry across the globe.  

To everyone who has connected with Forkliftaction in the past 25 years, thank you for your contribution to our success! We feel deeply touched by your words of encouragement.

What has Forkliftaction meant to you? Drop us a line.

PREMIUM business

RAEDER-VOGEL
Innovative high-quality wheels and castors for the forklift industry.

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

Are you recruiting? Find your ideal candidate among a diverse range of materials handling professionals:

Forkliftaction's JOB MARKET

Since July 2000, Forkliftaction News has been your guide to the developments that are shaping your industry.

Starting today we are also looking back on some of the key news stories from our extensive news archive.

In the news email and on the website, you'll see links to stories that were 'leading our news' multiple years ago, with topics spanning world-first products, big acquisitions, and major industry shifts.
We hope you enjoy this unique insight into the materials handling industry!