RNLI workers get forklift training
A total of 16 staff from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution inshore-lifeboat centre underwent pedestrian forklift training with Skills South(Training and Resources) Ltd (STR).
The centre, at Cowes, Isle of Wight, is responsible for construction and maintenance of RNLI inshore lifeboats for the whole of the UK and Republic of Ireland and has just opened a £2 million outboard-motor facility.
Chris Powell, production manager for engineering and electronics, said:“One floor of the new facility is used to store outboard motors, ranging from small engines to 115-horsepower four-stroke engines weighing 250 kg. It is equipped with a pedestrian forklift to enable us to move and stack the engines but, although you can get conventional forklift training on the island, there was nowhere offering pedestrian forklift training.
“I read about STR in a trade magazine and we arranged for 16 staff to be trained. The location, at Southampton Docks, was extremely convenient for us and the training was excellent.”
Kevin Cursons, STR general manager, said: “The inshore-lifeboat centre training was our first external course and we hope to do more work with the RNLI in the future.”
STR, a new division of Southampton Cargo Handling plc, offers plant and safety training, including courses on forklift, crane, tug, stowing, car driving and a supervision module. The company plans to expand its course list to include health and safety and NVQ-based modules.
Training can be conducted at a customer’s premises using the company’s plant and office space, or at STR’s training centre. Courses cover all skill levels, and range from a day to a week in length. They are designed on a national basis to enable companies to maintain staff training, provide national certification and keep ahead of ever-increasing health and safety legislation.
