Telescopic handlers

What you need to do

The law says you must organise your site so that you segregate pedestrians and telescopic handlers (telehandlers).Those telehandlers used must be carefully selected, maintained and operated by trained drivers. Key issues are:

What you need to know

A safe workplace for all vehicle operations must be established by separating pedestrians and vehicles and providing hazard-free traffic routes. See Traffic management

Telehandler hazards

Most fatal and serious injuries involving telehandlers occur when the vehicle is:

Both of these hazards should be identified within a risk assessment and suitable control measures put in place.

Controlling the risk

It is important to select the right vehicle for the job and site. There are a number of precautions that can reduce the risk of persons being struck or the vehicle overturning. These are:

Training and competence

Drivers and pedestrians must be trained and competent regarding the telehandler hazards and precautions:

Inspection and maintenance

A programme of daily visual checks, regular inspections and servicing schedules should be established in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and the risks associated with each vehicle.

Drivers should be encouraged to report defects or problems. Reported problems should be put right quickly and the excavator taken out of service if the item is safety critical.

2022-02-09