In this Spring 2008 IVES Update Newsletter we will cover the Whys of training, an Ask Bob question on rear view mirrors on forklifts, the new procedure for our Practical Evaluation Form, aerial lift details, training in the proper language and much more!
Enough is Enough… or Not?
It occurred to me like being hit by a lightning strike that there is one word we don’t hear enough and we don’t explain it enough either. That word is WHY.
I sincerely believe that as trainers our biggest job when teaching operators is to explain the “why” behind everything we say. And it’s not just because the company safety policy says so or the regulations require it, because in our line of work it could be a matter of life and death at worst or serious injury at least.
I hear it over and over during training programs and in life. People use “because I/they said so” as a reason to motivate people to follow certain procedures. I can tell you from personal experience, this is not a good reason at all. In fact, I think have put my future with the airline industry in danger by questioning that oh-so-pleasant flight attendant when she asked me to remove my mp3/earphones while taking off in an airplane. I asked why and the only reply I got was, “Because FAA regulations say so.” It wasn’t until later that a more professional flight attendant told me the reason behind them wanting me to shut down all of my electronic gear during takeoff and landing was because they wanted my full attention with no distractions in the event of an incident. Makes sense to me … so now I actually do it even before I’m asked to. Why? Because now I understand the reason for the procedure.
So the next time a trainee asks why he/she needs to do a pre-use inspection, it’s so we know the machine is safe to operate and won’t hurt us or anyone else, or worse. “Because the law mandates it” is not a sufficient answer. It may sound silly, but when you are training operators, take the time to add the word “because” to the end of every sentence or thought, and then provide the reason behind your training. I can almost guarantee that you will see how much more receptive your trainee is to the information and how willing they are to actually do the things you are teaching.
Nick Armer
IVES Staff Certified Trainer
Ask Bob
Dear Bob,
My company is thinking of putting rear-view mirrors on our warehouse equipment, but my boss thinks it is more dangerous because he thinks operators will just look in the mirrors instead of looking behind when backing up. What do you think?
Del
Hello Del,
I couldn’t disagree more. Rear-view mirrors are designed to give the operator a view to the rear while they are traveling forward. The operator must always look in the direction of travel, especially when traveling in reverse. They may look forward periodically to check load security, etc., but that’s it.
Supervisors and/or managers should not tolerate that type of behavior from equipment operators any more than the police (or insurance companies) do with drivers of automobiles on public roads. It is nothing more than a lazy habit that must be stopped.
Bob
New Procedure for Practical Evaluation Form
Practical evaluations are one of the most important phases of your operator training programs, as they document whether operators can demonstrate competence or if further training is required. You should be able to look at one of your completed evaluation forms, even several years afterward, and be able to recount what happened to a high level of detail. The following procedure will help you to complete the form accurately and in such a way that it has meaning to you now and in the future, when you may be called upon to explain it. A template of a completed form follows the procedure detailed below. The following procedure and template refer to a forklift; however, they may be applied to all equipment.
VISUAL CHECKS/OPER. CHECKS/GENERAL SAFETY Sections
- A missed/improper check or procedural error is observed.
- Print an “A” on the appropriate line beside the item listed (e.g., TIRES).
- Print another “A” in the COMMENTS section and provide brief details (e.g., Missed lug nuts).
- Record an “X” at the appropriate line in the YES/NO column located at the far right side of the form.
- Continue with observations and repeat procedure as required.
BASIC OPERATING PROCEDURES Section:
- An operational error or deficiency is observed.
- Print a letter (B, C, D, etc.) on the appropriate line beside the item listed (e.g., CHECKS REAR CLEARANCE BEFORE MOVING).
- Print the same letter in the COMMENTS section and provide brief details (e.g., Late look on task #3).
- Do not record an “X” (unless it is the MAINTAINS CONTROL AT ALL TIMES line item).
- Continue with observations and repeat procedure as required.
- If and when a third letter is recorded beside any ONE listed line item, an “X” is recorded upon receipt of the third letter.
OTHER Section:
- Items listed here are specific to the site and/or equipment. The subsequent grading of these items may, at the discretion of the Evaluator or an employer representative, be carried out in accordance with either or both of the procedures described above.
NOTE: If even a single “X” is recorded in the BASIC OPERATING PROCEDURES section, your evaluation has determined that additional training is required and the trainee cannot be qualified as an operator before being re-evaluated.
What’s Your Instructor IQ?
Test your knowledge by answering the following:
- After you have explained to an operator what is expected of them while they perform tasks with the equipment, it is best to:
a) Put them through an evaluation immediately, before they forget anything.
b) Leave them alone so they can practice without distraction, and then come back to evaluate them.
c) Move along to on-the-job training.
d) While you supervise, have them practice until they are ready for an evaluation.
- If an operator scores 90% on their theory test, you should:
a) Congratulate them on passing the test and move along to practical training.
b) Take steps to confirm and document that they understand the correct answer to the questions they missed.
c) Congratulate them and move along to the practical evaluation.
d) Issue another written test and repeat until they score 100%.
Check out the next edition of the Ives Update for the answers. Good luck!
Answers to “What’s Your Instructor IQ?” (Winter Edition 2007)
- Forklift operator refresher training is required:
a) Whenever the operator is involved in an accident or near-miss incident.
b) At regular intervals in accordance with local regulations.
c) Anytime the operator is observed demonstrating unsafe operation.
d) Randomly at the employer’s discretion.
- One of the most common ways for contaminants to enter your engine is through:
a) The oil dipstick tube when checking the oil.
b) Dirty oil and/or air filters.
c) Using sub-standard fuel.
d) Operating in dirty/dusty environments.
Heads-Up Aerial Lift Trainers
For those of you training aerial lift operators and issuing certificates, be aware that the applicable current ANSI/SIA A92 standards (A92.5 for boomlifts and A92.6 for scissors) stipulate the equipment listed on the certificate clearly define the equipment as:
- Boom-Supported Elevating Work Platform (Aerial Boomlift)
- Self-Propelled Elevating Work Platform (Scissor Lift)
Another important issue to take note of when it comes to training aerial lift operators is that the “familiarization upon delivery” detailed in the applicable ANSI/SIA A92 standards is very basic information designed to review the location of manuals, control functions and safety devices. It is NOT considered operator training and, as such, does not qualify the person receiving the familiarization as an operator.
We Are NOT Spam!
For those of you who have registered for a program or ordered products on-line, please be aware that the system will automatically send an e-mail confirmation of the transaction for your records. The process has hit a bit of a snag in that some of the e-mails sent from us are identified as spam at the recipient’s end.
If you would like to receive confirmations of registrations and/or product orders from us via e-mail, please be sure to add IVES into the address book of your e-mail program, or adjust your spam filter to allow (“whitelist”) mail from us so that it actually makes it to your inbox.
Remember that online product order confirmations contain a shipment tracking number that you can double-click on to locate your package while it is in transit, so it’s important that the e-mail with this information gets through to you!
Sorry About That… Bob
If you e-mailed a question to the Ask Bob technical support service between January 28th and February 20th of this year, please be aware that due to a technical glitch your question may have been lost. If you did submit a question within the time frame above and did not receive a reply, please re-submit your question and accept our most sincere apologies for the delay.
Forklift Rally Date Announced
The Canadian Material Handlers & Distributors Society (CMHD&S) has announced Saturday, April 5, 2008 as the date for the 11th Annual BC Championship Forklift Rally. The rally features open competition in three forklift truck divisions, including standard counterbalanced, narrow aisle reach and powered pallet jack.
Competitors are required to complete a 20-question written exam and then perform several operational tasks with the equipment through a precision driving course while being timed. The final score is determined by calculations involving the demerit point total and elapsed time.
“In the past this event has been extremely competitive. The drivers that show up take it very seriously and it shows; most of them are outstanding operators,” says Head Judge and driving course designer Rob Vetter. “I don’t expect this year will be any different, so we’re looking forward to seeing the best of the best in April,” he went on to say.
If you or your company thinks you’ve got the right stuff, go to www.forkliftrally.com and download the entry form and show up ready to go on event day. Hope to see you there!
Where: Cloverdale Agriplex, 17760 62nd Avenue, Surrey, BC V3S4E7
When: Saturday, April 5, 2008
Contestant Sign-In: 7:30AM- 8:30AM
Contestant Orientation: 8:30AM – 9:00AM
Competition: 9:00AM – 1:00PM
Awards Ceremony: 1:00PM-1:30PM
Is Your Training in the Proper Language?
OSHA has a long and consistent history of interpreting its standards and other requirements to require employers to present information in a manner that their employees can understand. See, for example, CPL 2-2.38(D)(1998) (“[i]f the employees receive job instructions in a language other than English, then training and information to be conveyed under the [hazard communication standard] will also need to be conducted in a foreign language”); letter from Russell B. Swanson to Chip MacDonald (1999) (“instruction that employers must provide under §1926.21 must be tailored to the employees’ language and education….”). And courts and the Commission have agreed with OSHA that an employer may not take advantage of “an adequately communicated work rule” when it did not communicate that rule to a non-English speaking employee in a language that employee could understand.
This means that an employer must instruct its employees using both a language and vocabulary that the employees can understand. For example, if an employee does not speak or comprehend English, instruction must be provided in a language the employee can understand. Similarly, if the employee’s vocabulary is limited, the training must account for that limitation. By the same token, if employees are not literate, telling them to read training materials will not satisfy the employer’s training obligation. As a general matter, employers are expected to realize that if they customarily need to communicate work instructions or other workplace information to employees at a certain vocabulary level or in a language other than English, they will also need to provide safety and health training to employees in the same manner. Of course, employers may also provide instruction in learning the English language to non-English speaking employees. Over time, this may lessen the need to provide OSH Act training in other languages.
Source: SafetyXchange
NOTE: IVES offers Spanish language operator training materials for counterbalanced, narrow aisle, and rough terrain forklifts, as well for powered pallet jacks and aerial lifts.
Accident Reports
Tragic Tip-over Kills Worker’s Son
A 13-year-old boy playing on a forklift at a building supply company where his father worked was killed when the machine flipped over and crushed him, police and business owners said.
The victim, who lived near the company, walked there at midday to meet his father, who was getting off work at 1 p.m. While his father was inside preparing to leave, the boy went into an open shed and climbed onto a parked forklift. Finding the keys in the ignition, he started the engine and drove about 100 feet to the far side of the paved yard. The machine flipped on its side and he was trapped beneath it.
Workers “rushed over with another forklift and lifted it off of him immediately,” said the Vice President of the company. “That was it, and it was too late.” The boy died before emergency workers arrived.
Based on skid marks and the position of the forklift, the police said it appeared that the boy had tried to jump from the machine as it tipped.
“I’m devastated,” said the company owner of the past 30 years. “The father was a good worker.” The boy often came to the business to meet his father, who was hired last year, and the pair recently attended the company Christmas party.
“He was nice and quiet, the perfect definition of a good kid,” said another worker at the company. The owners said keys are left in the forklifts because workers often use them for a few minutes at a time to move lumber and sheet metal before returning the machines to the shed. When asked about safety at the yard, one of the owners said that state inspectors recently visited and had praised the business. He added that he will improve safety. “First, we’re going to make sure there are no more unauthorized people here,” he said. “We’ll keep an even closer watch.”
[There are aftermarket devices available—like Speed-shield, for example—that lock out the ignition until an activation code is entered. – Ed.]
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