Entries by admin

Over 50 Years of of Working to Improve Forklift Safety

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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 […]

Safework NSW – Moving Plant Checklist

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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 […]

AFITA Exhibits at 2023 WHS Show

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The Australian Forklift and Industrial Truck Association (AFITA) exhibited and gave presentations at the Brisbane WHS Show, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre 31 May–1 June 2023. AFITA have been an Industry association Partner of the WHS Show since 2018.

AFITA Industry Award 2023 – Nominations Now Open

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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 […]

Flood Damaged Forklifts – Again

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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.

Evaluation & Regulation of Non-Road Diesel Engine Emissions

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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), […]

Q&A: Operator Distraction – Music Headphones

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Q: Is there anything in the Australian Standard that would guide our company in mandating that operators cannot use headphones to listen to music while operating a forklift?

A: The Australian Standard does not include a specific clause regarding use of headphones etc by operators.

AS2359.2-2013 in the model operating rules 3.3 (b) states Mobile phones shall not be used while the truck is in motion.

The note to this clause states operating procedures should be developed for suitable electronic devices, e.g. two way radios, scanners, touch screen, WMS terminals, which can be used for communication with the operator while the […]

Q&A: Operator Seat Weight Range

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Q: Is the recommended weight range on a suspension seat  a mandatory operator weight range or a recommendation that enables the seat to optimally absorb shocks. We have a large fleet of counterbalanced forklifts and the standard seat weight range seems to be between 40-120 kgs.

We operate mainly on flat surfaces and there aren’t too many operators that weigh in under the maximum listed weight.

A: Typically the weight setting on a suspension seat is to provide optimal performance based on the operators weight.

Under the existing standard AS2359.1-2019 the truck must be equipped with a seat switch and a […]

Queensland Industrial Manslaughter Conviction

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On 25 March 2022 , Jeffrey Owen was sentenced to five years jail, suspended having served 18 months imprisonment,  over a workplace incident in which his friend was crushed to death by a falling generator being moved with a forklift  from the back of a truck.