FAQ’s

We are often asked a variety of questions in relation to forklift truck training. Some of the more common ones are:

What type of courses are there?

Novice – no experience at all on any type of forklift truck
Experienced operator – untrained but has experience / trained but more that 5 years ago / has an overseas certificate / not operated a forklift in a number of years
Refresher – trained operator tested within the last 5 years with up to date experience
Conversion – adding an additional category of truck

How long are the courses?

Novice – 3-5 days
Experienced operator – 2-3 days
Refresher – 1 day
Conversion – 1-2 days

The length of the course is dependent on the number of candidates attending and the type of machinery. The length of courses, above, relate to the most common types of forklift.

How long does a licence last?

Forklift truck certificates (licences) do not expire. However, RTITB registration does expire after a period of 3 years. The HSE states that there is no specific time period after which you need to provide/undertake refresher training. It is suggested refresher training is undertaken every 3-5 years to ensure operators maintain of good driving habits, learn new skills where appropriate and have their abilities reassessed.

How many people will there be on a course?

To ensure all candidates receive adequate time to practice operating the truck under close supervision and to prepare for the practical skills test there are a maximum of 3 candidates on each forklift course. Training ratios on other pieces of equipment may be slightly higher.

Who are the 5 main accrediting bodies?

Independent Training Standards Scheme and Register (ITSSAR)
RTITB
The Association of Industrial Truck Trainers (AITT)
National Plant Operators Registration Scheme (NPORS)
Lantra

Will my forklift certificate cover all trucks?

Unfortunately not. Each type of forklift truck has different operating procedures. If you hold a current certificate for one truck, eg counterbalance, you would require a conversion course for another.

This also includes different lifting capacities of the same type of truck. A good example of this is holding a counterbalance certificate (B1 – a counterbalance truck with the lifting capacity of up to and including 5000kgs) and needing to operate a counterbalance with a lifting capacity of 5001kgs up to 15000kgs. This isa B2 truck so a conversion course would be required

What are you doing to ensure our safety regarding COVID-19?

To ensure the safety of staff and candidates we have implemented a number of changes in our centre.

• Hand washing facilities with soap and water in place.
• Staff and candidates reminded on a regular basis to wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap and water and the importance of proper drying with paper towels. Also reminded to catch coughs and sneezes in tissues – Follow “Catch it, Bin it, Kill it” public health guidance and to avoid touching face, eyes, nose or mouth with unclean hands.
• Tissues are available throughout the centre.
• Gel hand sanitizers in any area where washing facilities not readily available, particularly at entry and exit points to the premises.

Is it a guaranteed pass?

No. Like driving cars operating a forklift is not for everyone. We will work with candidates to help them to achieve forklift certification. During all courses regular feedback is given and if there is a problem this will be raised with the candidate.

What does testing involve?

Each forklift course is assessed by three elements – a theory test, a pre-use inspection and practical operator’s skills test. The theory test is 25 questions (20 are multiple choice and 5 are multiple selection answers), the pre-use inspection is the ability to inspect the truck for faults prior to use and answer questions on faults and the practical assessment is to demonstrate the safe operating skills and techniques taught during the course.

However, some forklift truck syllabuses have not been updated with the new format of theory questions. The older theory tests comprise of 25 questions (20 are multiple choice and 5 are short written answers). As the Accrediting Bodies Association update syllabuses these will change to include the multiple selection answers.