Associations and Standards

Fork lift trucks and other lifting vehicles are one of the most common causes of accidents in commercial and industrial environments, and a range of organisations has set up with the aim of improving standards across the industries using this equipment.

From typical trade associations to training boards and safety watchdogs, fork lift trucks have inspired a lot of associations to focus their attentions on improving the industry and the standard of skills and training within it. In the UK the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) state that all fork lift operators must be adequately trained without really filling in any details, leading to the industry and organisations like the HSE to pull together more detailed guidelines that have been widely accepted as industry standards.

Fork Lift Truck Association

A trade association focused entirely on the fork lift truck sector, the FLTA provides all kinds of information and advice on lift trucks and materials handling issues including best practice techniques, safe operation and advice on complying with legislation and regulations. The association also organises training, apprenticeships and safety conferences.

British Industrial Truck Association

BITA is the UK’s leading trade association for forklift truck manufacturers and suppliers, partnering regularly with similar organisations worldwide to establish high technical standards for fork lift manufacture and ever increasing operational safety features.

Members receive a range of useful information, statistics and guidance aimed at keeping British manufacturers at the forefront of producing high quality lift truck vehicles.

Health and Safety Executive

An organisation that crosses over every industry, market and business in the country, from homeworkers and offices to nuclear power and chemical processing plants, HSE offers guidance, regulation and recommendation across them all aimed at keeping people safe. Championing risk assessments and ever improving training and safety standards HSE regulation can sometimes be frustrating, but it saves lives.

Many of these organisations work together and hand in hand with similar international associations to establish a range of joint statistical and standards programs, most relevant legislation is specific to each country but there are some Europe wide ideas already appearing in areas like LGV and PCV driver CPC training.

There are numerous other organisations involved in the sector especially within training such as Lantra and ITSSAR; and as an TSSAR accredited training provider you can find more information on them on our company accreditations page.