The HSE has no rules setting what is the period to be given to forklift operator to take refresher course. However, employers have an important role at this aspect. It’s the employer’s obligation to make an evaluation periodically and keep an eye of their forklift operators’ performance.
Routine assessment of the forklift operators can definitely save you from lots of trouble. If you are having frequent accidents and near misses at the workplace, this may be the time to make an assessment to send them to a refresher course.
Who Can Receive Forklift Refresher Course
This course is intended for those forklift drivers who have had a formal training and wanting to make their skills current.
Employers can also send their operators to refresher course for some sort of reasons, such as: they have been involved in an accident, to correct operators’ unsafe conduct, to make them aware of present legislation and newest standards, or for just routine evaluation.
Price of the Training
The duration of training of the refresher course is shorter than the novice training, therefore, it is much cheaper. The course can be taken in just half day or 1 full day (max). There will be lectures, written test and practical test at the end of the training course.
Here, we have prepared list of the training centers that offer refresher course with corresponding prices:
MHE Training Unit 3, City Industrial Units, Wheat Street Leicester Tel: +44 (0) 116 251 9411 £80 + VAT / day (Counterbalance) £80 + VAT / day (Narrow Aisle) £80 + VAT / day (Reach Truck) £80 + VAT /day (articulated) |
Kentec Training Limited 0333 666 0555 Counterbalance Refresher (RTITB) Price: £195.00 + vat per person (£234.00 VAT included) |
Reaseheath College |
Tockwith Training Services Ltd 01904 737049 Refresher Course - £159 |
Wakefield Skillcentre 01924 375823 £110.00 + VAT per attendee PROCAT 0800 389 3589 £650 plus VAT for 3 candidates |
Oldham Training Centre Lees Road, Oldham,OL4 1JP Tel: 0161 624 5360 Fax: 0161 627 0560 £130 + VAT |
Gildersome Fork Lift Training Phone: 01924 450005 Mobile: 07961 914292 £125.00 (Counterbalance) £420.00: (Discounted deal: Counterbalance/Reach Refresher + Pedestrian pallet truck Conversion) £140.00: Pedestrian pallet truck Conversion or Refreshers |
Trans Plant Mastertrain The Matford Centre, Marsh Barton, Exeter, Devon, EX2 8FD Phone: 0800 328 0227 / 01392 426242 Fax: 01392 205006 £150 (VAT included) £6 + VAT (£6.90) ITTSAR fee |
S. W. Durham Training Ltd Durham Way South, Aycliffe Business Park Newton Aycliffe, Co. Durham, DL5 6AT phone: (01325) 313194 £110.00 per trainee |
GTG Training Limited Glasgow 0141 258 5502 Edinburgh 0131 629 1003 West Midlands 01902 471 302 Enquire about the cost |
Forklift Training 4u Longfield House 32 Longfield Road Fair Oak Eastleigh Hants SO50 7LX 0845 130 7424 07929 001 208 Enquire what is the price |
Course Content
The content will evolve around the specifics of the machine, present legislations and laws, and actual driving of the forklift. An evaluation test may be necessary to measure the wisdom gained by the trainees.
During the class discussion, topics are:
- Brief Introduction about the refresher course
- Health and Safety in the workplace
- Basic principle of each forklift trucks
- Present code and standards
- Inspection procedure
- Pre-operation machine checking and post-use inspection
- Familiarization with controls and instrumentation
- Safety checks at the work premises
At the practical driving, the topics will include:
- Starting the truck
- Use the controls and instruments correctly
- Identification of different parts of the machine and its functions
- Carry out the loading and unloading and stacking and destacking
- Demonstration of moving of the machine from place to place
- Placing of loads in pallets
- Maneuvering in confined and tight spaces
- Pedestrian traffic and work planning
- Shutting down of machine and proper parking
The refresher course is used to test the knowledge of the operator if he’s still able to operate the forklift truck safely and securely.
At the end of the course, the trainees will be given certificate of course completion and an operator card. You can submit copies of these documents together with your resume when applying for a job. You can also present these to your employer, if they asked for it.