Tips for a Successful Thorough Examination

Ensuring a smooth and safe business operation is heavily reliant on your machinery being in tip top condition. To monitor this, all forklift attachment equipment and safety-critical parts must undergo a periodic (6-12 months dependant upon the type of attachment) Thorough Examination to meet legal standards and ensure that they’re still fit for purpose.

We understand that putting your equipment through tests can be worrying – what if the results don’t come back as hoped, and it’s no longer suitable or safe? How long will it be out of action? How much will the examination cost? All viable questions, especially in the current climate. But, we’re here to help, and have devised our top tips to ensuring a successful Thorough Examination.

What is a Thorough Examination?

Just like your car has to have an annual MOT to make sure it’s still safe to be on the road and is working as it should, your forklift attachment requires a similar check.

The process itself is relatively simple – we arrange to collect your attachment(s) from your site, before carrying out a full examination of them at our state-of-the-art site in Mid Wales. All remedial work required will firstly be discussed with you, before being carried out. And finally, we’ll deliver it back to your site in a fully compliant state, with an up-to-date Thorough Examination Certificate and Report.

Plus, we aim to carry it out within 24 hours from receipt of the attachment(s), ensuring your downtime is kept to an absolute minimum.

Why do I need a Thorough Examination?

Under LOLER 98 and PUWER 98, it’s your legal responsibility to ensure your forklift attachment undergoes periodic Through Examinations to ensure it remains compliant with the latest health and safety requirements. The attachments have to be regularly inspected to check for any damage, defects or issues that may impact its correct and safe usage.

At Contact Attachments, we’re CFTS accredited with decades of experience – and so you know you’re in the safest of hands!

Top Tips for A Successful Examination

Regular Maintenance

We would highly recommend regularly checking and maintaining your attachments yourself during the periods between each Thorough Examination. This includes:

• • Carrying out visual inspections for any signs of damage (and if you want to know what signs to look out for, check out our guide on when to replace your forklift attachment)
  • Applying oil and grease to all moving parts

Appropriate Usage

While it can be tempting to maximise the potential of your forklift attachments and find new and innovative uses for them, using them not as intended is likely to add strain or cause significant damage. It’s important they’re used correctly, in accordance with the operating instructions, and only with a product that it has been designed to handle.

Avoid Overloading

Ensure the attachment is used within the rated load capacity to avoid any overloading and the possible resulting wear and tear this can cause.

Sufficient User Training

All operators of the equipment must have adequate training in using the attachment to ensure it is done so correctly, carefully, and safely. In turn, this should ensure any errors that could cause damage or issue are kept to a minimum.

If your attachment is due a Thorough Examination – whether you purchased it from Contact Attachments or not – or you’re unsure about your legal responsibilities, then do get in touch with the team and they’d be happy to help.

For more information on Tips for a Successful Thorough Examination talk to Contact Attachments