In this issue:
- New & Updated Materials Released for Skid Steer and Powered Pallet Truck!
- New Operator Training Program Lesson Plans Now Available!
- How to improve safety culture in construction.
- Ask Bob: Our tech guru answers a question on neck strain while traveling in reverse.
- New Product Highlight: A Foldable Forklift.
- Four worker fatalities lead to $1.5M+ fine for Illinois company.
- Last chance to register!
- What's Wrong With This? Photo and answer.
- A selection of interesting articles.
- New testimonials from our wonderful clients.
NEW & UPDATED MATERIALS RELEASED FOR SKID STEER LOADER AND POWERED PALLET TRUCK
Those of you that train operators of skid-steer loaders (SSL) and/or powered pallet trucks (PPT) take note that today marks the release of the newly revised operator training materials.
These materials include all related Operator Reference Manuals, Theory Test, Trainer’s Manual Equipment Inserts and Digital Training Aids (DTAs). Also take note that there are plenty of support resources including downloadable documents, orientation videos, revised pages and answer keys available for all the new and revised SSL and PPT materials discussed below. You will find these support resources, Downloadable Materials & Updates and New SSL / PPT Materials at www.ivestraining.com/SignIn. Here is a breakdown of each item.
Operator Reference Manual (ORM)
Each of the ORMs for SSL and PPT have been completely reconstructed with updated information and graphics that are reflective of today’s modern technology and machinery. The SSL materials include coverage of compact track loaders as well as regular and mini skid-steer loaders while the PPT materials cover low-lift, high-lift and tow-tractor units. The format of each new ORM is laid out in a series of topic-specific chapters followed by a chapter review consisting of five or more questions designed to motivate group discussion on the major points within each chapter topic. The new ORMs are not even recognizable compared to their previous versions but we’re sure you appreciate how much better they are in terms of content and ease of use. Spanish and French language versions available too!
Chapter Review Indexes
Normally, a “Revision Summary” accompanies the release of revised materials and is made available for download from our website. However, in this case the revisions are so varied and numerous that the summaries would likely be too long and confusing. Instead, we have developed "Chapter Review Indexes” for each ORM. These documents are basically answer keys to the Chapter Review questions in each ORM, supplemented with information on exactly where the answers and/or relative information for each question is found in the ORM. We think they will be more helpful and useful to you than the usual Revision Summaries would be in helping you navigate the new material while you become familiar with it.
Operator Theory Test
Each of the Operator Final Written Theory Tests have been revised and updated to match the new ORMs. As was the case before, each of the questions on the tests are drawn from the Chapter Review questions in the ORM.
Trainer’s Manual Equipment Insert
Both inserts have been revised to suit as well. In particular:
- Key-Tab 1: Your Specific Conditions & Equipment
Several revisions and additions have been made to this section.
- Key-Tab 2: Operator Reference Manual
All operator test answer keys have been revised to suit the new tests. These answer keys are available for download separately as noted above.
The affected pages of each of the Key-Tabs for each insert are available for download from the www.ivestraining.com/SignIn , Downloadable Materials & Updates section, New SSL / PPT Materials.
Each equipment insert can also be purchased in its entirety if you prefer. Contact IVES for pricing information.
Digital Training Aids (DTAs)
We have developed new SSL and PPT DTAs that match up with the Chapter Reviews in the ORMs and feature all new images. These new DTAs are formatted with the chapter and question number displayed at the bottom-right corner of each frame. This numbering system makes the DTA much easier to navigate and use in relation to the ORM. For example, if 4.9 is displayed at the bottom-right of the frame, it means that frame matches up with question at chapter-4, number-9. The DTA frame for question-10 of chapter-4 for would be 4.10, and so on.
We are very excited to have new DTAs for the revised SSL and PPT ORMS as they offer a dimension of visual accompaniment that simply was not available before. We’re sure that once you see them, you will want to use them in all of your SSL and PPT operator training programs!
OPERATOR TRAINING PROGRAM LESSON PLANS NOW AVAILABLE!
We are very happy to announce the arrival of another trainer-support product that offers trainers another level of accuracy and consistency in their program delivery. Operator Training Program Lesson Plans are now available for all forklifts, MEWPs and loaders. These are highly detailed documents that cover every facet in the delivery of operator training programs including:
- Planning & preparation.
- Confirming materials & equipment.
- Operator reference manual review including:
- Page number reference.
- DTA frame reference.
- Topic and question listings.
- Topic discussion points.
- Training tips.
- Theory test preparation, issuing, grading and reviewing.
- Practical hands-on training.
- Practical evaluations.
- Documentation.
- Program completion and filing.
The new lesson plans are very specific in relation to the theory information in operator reference manuals provided by IVES. There is still plenty of room for notes and other information you may wish to add in order to customize them to your specific conditions and equipment. Go to www.ivestraining.com/SignIn to download free copies of the lesson plan(s) that fit your needs.
How to improve safety culture in construction
CSI your Workplace – No, we are not saying every workplace is a crime scene… not that type of CSI. Here we’re talking about continuous safety improvement.
Establishing and improving safety culture in construction is not a finite process with a start, a middle and an end. It is something you need to work at and continue to improve as time moves on.
The benefits of instilling and improving safety culture in construction is clear. A safer work environment means fewer accidents, a happier workforce and less time lost due to recovery. While the impact is on the bottom line, the 'driver' should be your employees.
To that end, there follows a list of steps that can generate and continually grow a culture of safe practice in any working environment.
The seven steps to safety improvement are:
Step 1 – Starting at the top.
Any culture in the workplace has to have buy-in from the C-suite or board level. Without the bill-payers onboard, cultural change will be slow if it happens at all. Get the execs on the same page (maybe with the financial impact of doing nothing like a warning) and move from there.
Step 2 – Continual progress and evolution.
As mentioned earlier, there is no end to improving safety culture in construction; it is an ongoing thing. Take the data that is generated by monitoring and use it to drive improvement. With actual data, the constant effort can be directed where it is needed the most.
Step 3 – Dedication.
If you want to incorporate safety as part of every day, it has to be upheld by a wide range of champions. That is why you need to create a dedicated team to monitor and drive changes. The team should be cross-level and discipline but (importantly) not hierarchical. All members of this team are equal – that way, their inputs will be genuine and, more often than not, be based on the insight that the board wouldn’t have considered.
Step 4 – Back to basics.
For safety to be intrinsic to a culture, it has to be reflected in the core values. Revisit your corporate plan, your business strategy and your whole ethos and ask yourself if safety runs through every process. You may be surprised just where it is missing.
Step 5 – It is good to talk.
It is vital if you want to embed a safety culture within your company. By talking, and more importantly having a two-way conversation, you will help your team to feel engaged and part of the narrative, rather than just numbers in a plan.
Step 6 – Do not operate in a bubble.
Having one meeting and acting on the decisions is not enough. When a new action is determined and implemented, its effectiveness is dependent on its success – and more importantly, the recognition and measurement of that success. By evaluating as you go, the impact can be managed and maximized.
Step 7 – Always on it.
It is no use setting safety as a temporary target – to embed within a culture; it has to be continually monitored and evolve as safety culture evolves. The true measure of success will be the change of behaviour and also the continued will to improve time and time again.
So there you have it – seven relatively simple steps on how to improve safety culture in construction. Still, if you follow them all, and keep evolving, then safety will become fully integrated into your company culture, and the impact will benefit staff morale, staff retention and the bottom line.
Source: us2.campaign-archive.com
Ask Bob
Q. The issue of neck strain while traveling in reverse came up. This has to be an industry issue. I just wanted to know if there were any tips / tricks that we are not aware of.
A. There are two practical solutions I have seen out there that could help with potential neck issues as a result of looking behind constantly.
The first is a grip handle mounted on the inside of the rear overhead posts of the overhead guard. Having something like this to hold on to takes a huge amount of stress off the back and neck and passes it on to the arm and shoulders which are more capable of handling it. A lot of manufacturer’s equip their machines with these grip handles right out of the factory but I’ve also seen aftermarket ones that can be easily installed without altering the FOPS. Some even have a horn button that can be activated with your thumb.
The next is a seat that can pivot to the left or right about 12 degrees. It doesn’t sound like much but that little bit of seat rotation goes a long way toward easing up the strain on the neck and back. The equipment dealer may be able to provide you with them and there are also lots of aftermarket ones available.
I hope this helps,
Ask Bob
New Product Highlights
A foldable forklift. BM 214 by Palfinger is a collapsible forklift that fits neatly in a box. The remote-controlled forklift has a lifting capacity of 4,630 lbs. It’s powered by a diesel engine. BM 214 can extend to reach over 9 feet. When collapsed the compact forklift can be stored under the truck. This helps create a good center of gravity for the carrier vehicle. The BM 214 can be ready to operate in just 30 seconds.
Watch the video here...
Source: autoblog.com/2019/12/03/a-foldable-forklift/
Four worker fatalities lead to $1.5M+ fine for Illinois company
An OSHA investigation into the deaths of four employees of an Illinois chemical plant has resulted in more than a million dollars in proposed penalties against AB Specialty Silicones LLC.
The company has been cited for a dozen willful federal safety violations in the explosion and fire at its Waukegan facility on May 3, 2019 that claimed the lives of four workers.
The silicon chemical products manufacturer faces $1,591,176 in penalties and has been placed in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program.
OSHA investigators determined AB Specialty Silicones failed to ensure that electrical equipment and installations in the production area of the plant complied with OSHA electrical standards, and were approved for hazardous locations. The company also used forklifts powered by liquid propane to transport volatile flammable liquids, and operated these forklifts in areas where employees handled and processed volatile flammable liquids and gases, creating the potential for ignition.
"An employer's adherence to safety and health standards, including the proper use of electrical equipment and forklifts when handling flammable liquids, is critical to preventing fire, explosions and other incidents that can seriously or fatally injure workers," said OSHA Acting Regional Administrator Nancy Hauter, in Chicago, Illinois.
OSHA provides resources on electrical safety and using forklifts when working with hazardous materials.
Source: ishn.com/articles
What's Wrong With This? Photo
Can you tell what's going wrong?
Have a photo you'd like to share? Send it to us!
Answer to Last Month's WWWT? Photo
Here's what the WorkSafe Magazine had to say about it:
1. Wheel of truck is chocked with a brick.
2. Noise level is high while using the leaf blower, then worker might have to use hearing protection. But the area must be safeguarded (traffic control provided) to prevent a vehicle from backing into the open bay where the worker is working.
3. Garbage has been left on the ground (poor housekeeping).
4. (Hand cart against wall) Loose cart is being stored on the hydraulic dock.
5. (Top of ramp) a) Load on the pallet jack is not wrapped securely, b) pallet jack is jacked up too high, and c) pallet wrapping is loose and poses a tripping hazard.
6. (Guy bending in trailer entrance) Worker is demonstrating poor ergonomic technique while pulling the load.
7. (Ramp with grey post in front) a) Plate/ramp from hydraulic dock to the truck is not level,
b) plate/ramp could have more substantial contact with the truck, c) hydraulic dock not level with the loading dock, d) worker does not appear to be wearing safety footwear.
8. (Center circle on dock) Carrying capacity of the hydraulic dock must be marked on the dock.
9. (Lower circle on dock/center & below) Dock should be locked out while the worker is on it.
10. (Leaf-blower worker in circle) a) Worker is not wearing high vis apparel, b) worker is exposed to other vehicles (e.g. a backing up truck), c) worker reaching into scissor mechanism of the hydraulic dock and d) worker is using ear buds - he will have difficulty hearing if a vehicle is approaching (e.g. if it had a back-up alarm).
Have a photo you'd like to share? Send it to us!
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6 anti-theft devices that will help protect your heavy equipment from theft...more.
Woman sues maker of excavator that allegedly malfunctioned, killed her husband...more.
VIDEO: Just how well do you know the OSHA inspection process?...more.
Recent scissor-lift accident takes life of Texas worker...more.
Staveley’s Eggs fined after fork lift truck overturns and traps driver...more.
Client Testimonials
"I really liked this training compared to other trainings I have had where they just trained directly from PowerPoint. This was great training". Alan, Veritas Crane
"Course materials and training plan where great. Good mix of theory and hands-on training. Good course, will definitely recommend to others". Eric, Rigging Institute
"I have taken many trainings over the past 5 years working for the DNR of Washington State and this is by far my favorite training and facilitator!". Bob, Cedar Creek Correctional Center
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