With just a few weeks to go until IMHX, Consolidated Fork Truck Services (CFTS) has announced that the number of companies accredited to deliver the UK’s only nationally agreed procedure for the Thorough Examination of fork lift trucks has surged past the 300 mark.

Revealing news of this new landmark, CFTS Chairman Simon Emery said: “For fork lift truck users, this means that – wherever your operations are based in the UK – there is a CFTS accredited company close at hand to help you ensure your fork lift trucks fully comply with the law.”

Under current legislation, every fork lift truck more than 12 months old must hold a current Report of Thorough Examination… and responsibility for compliance sits with the owner or user of that truck. Even if the truck is on hire, it is still the duty of the user to ensure that a Thorough Examination has been carried out within the correct timescales.

“Developed in close co-operation with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the CFTS Thorough Examination scheme is widely acknowledged as the most comprehensive and robust inspection regime for fork lift trucks,” explains Mr Emery.

“The reason is quite simple. CFTS criteria and procedures have been developed by the people who know most about fork lift truck safety – the British Industrial Truck Association (BITA) and the Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA) in conjunction with the HSE.

“It is this in-depth understanding of the specialist needs of fork lift trucks that sets this dedicated scheme apart. While other, more generalised programmes address the basic requirements of LOLER 98, the CFTS Thorough Examination procedure is exceptional in that it ensures full compliance with both PUWER 98 and LOLER 98 as they relate specifically to fork lift trucks. This removes the need for duplicate inspections and provides the user with genuine peace of mind.

“Companies accredited to CFTS adhere to a stringent Procedural Code which makes certain that uniformly high standards are maintained. Every firm accepted onto the scheme benefits from an ongoing and unparalleled level of support – including full access to expert technical back-up.”

To discover the real benefits of comprehensive inspection from CFTS, such as enhanced safety and greater productivity, use the CFTS accredited company search facility – available now at www.thoroughexamination.org.

This newly created software is just like a CFTS examination itself: easy to follow, clear and concise. All visitors need to do is enter a postcode and search radius and the CFTS search engine will deliver – in order of proximity – the full contact details of appropriate companies.

A company search by name facility is also available for owners and operators of fork lift trucks who wish to confirm whether their current Thorough Examination provider has been accredited to CFTS.