A little help with forklift licenses

[Heapsy]

Hello people,

 

I have decided that I should get my forklift ticket before the summer as an additional selling point for festival type work.

I have googled and tried to find a concise answer but am a bit confused as to what accredited course I should be looking at. Most companies are offering me training in my workplace which is not at all helpful and each seem to be offering there own certificate. I would need something recognised industry wide. When I did my MEWP training I attended a day long course and left with a bit of paper (and a card!) that says I can operate SPBs and SLs. I'm after something similar for forklifts.

As I understand it there are a number of different categories for forklifts as well, which would people recommend for use within this industry? What do you use/see most often?

Finally can anyone recommend a good training company in the south east?

Thank you for your time,

 

Mark

[Ike]

Is it fair to say you have no previous experience?

 

If so I know this sounds harsh but I really wouldn't bother, if you do a short course now then nothing till summer you're going to be a liability. Festival sites aren't the place to learn to drive forklifts.

[j_b]

Offer a local farmer a few days work in shifting some bales o' hay or whatever, in exchange for use of the machine for a test.

[Heapsy]

Festival sites aren't the place to learn to drive forklifts.

 

Which is why I'd like to do a course first, I have a reasonable amount of experience on normal forks but have never used a tele handler etc.

I could try and gain more experience beforehand but without the ticket that would be difficult and a bit stupid from an insurance point of view. Surely one time of driving forks has to be my first outside of the training session, same for anyone else...

[RustyBrooks]

You do not want to be driving forks at a festival for the first time... time is to precious for you to be learning on the job, or fumbling around with a knob on a new type of handler... I'm going to echo ike here, don't think I would want to have an inexperienced driver working with me stacking subs, or feeding heavy racks through little gaps, with my fingers/hands/body at stake... whooops, sorry I'm new is not what you want to hear after somone has slammed forks into forward insteds of reverse, and yes, have seen it happen.

 

Why not try and get on the PA/Lighting crew instead, your profile says thats where your experience is, and, as you, if you drove the forks, would only be driving forks, as the drivers come with the crewing company as they provide specialists for this sort of thing, then why not use your specialities.

[Ike]

...I have a reasonable amount of experience on normal forks but have never used a tele handler etc.

Ahh I see, sorry if I jumped to the wrong conclusion.

 

A few days training doesn't make you a FLT driver, for that you need experience. Now unfortunately a lot of management types don't seem to appreciate this which means if you turn up to site with a certificate they will assume you are a fully competent driver, expect you to fly round the site and not kill anyone in the process.

 

Now you're right in that everyone needs to start somewhere but in my opinion turning up to a festival with a certificate isn't it. Warehouse work generally allows you more time, better working conditions and more segregation from pedestrians which makes it a good choice. Companies who regularly use FLTs are usually in a position to offer you approved training on the job which not only means you get experience without people expecting you to be an expert from day one but your training will be free. This is important as it means you're less likely to run out and apply for a load of FLT jobs before you're ready to try and make your certificate pay for itself.

 

When I did my MEWP training I attended a day long course and left with a bit of paper (and a card!) that says I can operate SPBs and SLs. I'm after something similar for forklifts.

With FLTs a well used scheme is NPORS. Basically you pick a NPORS approved trainer, do the training and they issue you a card and notify NPORS. It's not as universal as IPAF is for MEWPs but it is widely recognised in the UK. Like with IPAF you get a card and can have categories added. Each one lasts three years.

 

Other schemes include ITSSAR, CPCS and Lantra.

 

As I understand it there are a number of different categories for forklifts as well, which would people recommend for use within this industry? What do you use/see most often?

Industrial counterbalance lift trucks, industrial telescopic handler lift trucks, rough terrain lift trucks and rough terrain telescopic handler lift trucks are all used a fair amount. A few companies also use articulated lift truck for manoeuvring stuff in tight areas and some have lorry mounted lift trucks which are again a different category. You really need to look at which companies/events you intend to work for.

[Jivemaster]

On a festival site if you are hired for forks work it will only be for thr forks days! This will preclude you being available for Lighting work for the whole period. SO being hired to do forks may shoot you in the foot for doing Lx for more days at more rate.

 

Go to a local forks hirer and offer to do some work for them on the forks that you need tickets for, in exchange for the training and tickets.