Over 50 Years of of Working to Improve Forklift Safety

AFITA (previously AITA)  has a proud tradition of supporting safety as evidenced by this  conformance plate  found recently on a 1972 Clark 2.5 Tonne  FLT referencing compliance with AITA Recommended Safety Practice 1969.

Other materials that have come to light recently include 1965 references to  AITA members advising state regulatory authorities that their machines were compliant with the Australian Industrial Truck Association Recommended Safety Practices for Powered Industrial Trucks  (in turn based on the American Standard Safety Code for Power Industrial Trucks ASA B56.1 (1959)).

So we have been in the business of promoting Forklift Safety for almost 60 years.

On another note the plate was on a machine believed to have been traded-in in the last 5 years – clearly built to last!

Thanks to Craig Williams, Engineering & Technical  Manager at Clark Equipment for the photo and the 1965 reference.

Safework NSW – Moving Plant Checklist

 

SafeWork NSW have produced a Self-Assesment Checklist : Safety around Moving Plant

The use of powered mobile plant (including forklifts)  in the workplace is a major cause of serious injuries and even fatalities in NSW workplaces. SafeWork NSW has identifed the three main reasons why workers are killed and seriously injured in mobile plant incidents and these are:

1. Being hit or crushed by mobile plant.
2. Being hit or crushed by a load that the mobile plant is moving.
3. Being crushed in a mobile plant tip over.

If you are a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU), a self-employed person or a controller of a workplace with mobile plant, this self-assessment tool is designed to provide guidance for what you can do to
improve safety around mobile plant and put in place measures to control the associated risks in your workplace to be compliant with safety legislation.

This tool relates to powered mobile plant operation, high risk work licensing, pedestrian separation, load handling, seatbelts and general mobile plant safety and maintenance.

A copy of the checklist can be downloaded from the SafeWork NSW website or here

AFITA Industry Award 2023 – Nominations Now Open

In 2023, the Australian Forklift and Industrial Truck Association (AFITA) created an award to honour an individual or individuals from Australian forklift industry who have made an outstanding contribution to the value, recognition or reputation of the industry.

Eligibility: To be eligible for the AFITA Industry Award, the nominee:

  • is an individual or individuals from the Australian Forklift & Industrial Truck industry;
  • has made a significant contribution to the value, recognition or reputation of the industry

The Prize is to be awarded annually and presented at the AFITA Annual Dinner which will be held in 2023 in Brisbane on 1 June 2023.

Nominations are to be made in the form of a submission of no more than 500 words forwarded to the AFITA Executive Officer, Sue Hart.

The closing date for nominations for the 2023 AFITA Industry Award is

5 May 2023.

Continue reading “AFITA Industry Award 2023 – Nominations Now Open”

Flood Damaged Forklifts – Again

Following our news item of March 2022 regarding “rebirthing” of  flood damaged Forklift Trucks

In early December 2023 AFITA wrote to the Insurance Council of Australia and the Hon Tony Burke MP, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations expressing concern regarding the potential for flood damaged forklifts to be “rebirthed” following write-off and asking for the removal of name plates prior to the sale of written off machines to ensure they are only used for parts.

Continue reading “Flood Damaged Forklifts – Again”

Evaluation & Regulation of Non-Road Diesel Engine Emissions

In April 2018 what is now the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the  Environment and Water (DCCEEW) commenced an evaluation for a national approach to manage emissions from non-road diesel engines.

The Issue

  • Australia currently has no regulations to control noxious emissions from non-road diesel engines.
  • Total particulate emissions from non-road diesel engines are significantly larger than total particulate emissions from all on-road motor vehicles in Australia (petrol, diesel and LPG), even though the number of non-road diesel engines is only about 3% of the number of on-road engines.
  • They emit particulate matter (mainly fine particles, PM2.5), oxides of nitrogen, volatile organic compounds and a range of air toxics which are harmful to human health.
  • Current international best practice standards emission standards for diesel engines  are US Tier 4f

Continue reading “Evaluation & Regulation of Non-Road Diesel Engine Emissions”

Power Tool Battery Fire

On the afternoon of Sunday 23 January 2022, a lithium-ion battery attached to a cordless impact wrench exploded after it was left on the back seat of a vehicle over the weekend. The explosion ignited other material left on the seat and severely damaged the interior of the vehicle.

The incident occurred in Darwin where the outside temperature at the time was approximately 31°. The cordless impact wrench and battery was manufactured by a reputable company.

More information is available in the safety alert issued by WorkSafe NT, here

Japanese Encephalitis: Safe Work Australia Guidance

 

Currently, there is evidence of Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) circulation in pigs in South-Eastern Queensland, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Victoria and South Australia –  (Link)

Safe Work Australia has developed new work health and safety (WHS) guidance on Japanese encephalitis for persons conducting a business or undertaking.

Continue reading “Japanese Encephalitis: Safe Work Australia Guidance”

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