Mentor campaign shortlisted for Design4Safety Award

Forklift training provider’s Show Your Hand initiative in the running for 2019 accolade

An innovative safety solution from Mentor FLT Training has been named as a finalist in this year’s Design4Safety Awards, organised by trade association BITA.

Introducing a standardised form of communication between forklift operators and pedestrians, the Show Your Hand campaign was launched because Mentor recognised the need to improve safety awareness for all those who work with or around lift trucks.

Show Your Hand is a simple 3-step process that enables forklifts and pedestrians to maintain a safe distance. Should a pedestrian come too close to the forklift, the operator should: stop the truck; show their hand as a signal for the pedestrian to stop; if the pedestrian doesn’t stop, turn the ignition off. By disabling the power, the operator significantly reduces the risk of an accident until it is safe to resume the task.

“We are really proud of the Show Your Hand campaign and delighted to be nominated for a Design4Safety Award,” said Stuart Taylor, Managing Director of Mentor FLT Training. “The response to the initiative has been overwhelming and is a testament to its universal appeal. By using a non-verbal command, the process can be understood and adopted on almost any site. It’s a simple way to massively reduce risk, at no cost to your business.”

Since the launch of the campaign in support of National Forklift Safety Month 2017, Mentor has received 1500 requests for downloadable safety packs, created to help companies introduce the Show Your Hand solution on site. Each pack contains a short explanatory film, instruction videos, presentations and safety posters to support managers in rolling out the process.

“Just about anyone who has forklifts operating on their site alongside pedestrians will benefit from using this system,” said Stuart Taylor. “We have had interest from a wide range of industries and businesses of all types and sizes, and not just from within the UK. There have been requests from around the world, including many multinational organisations and well-established brands.”

Winners of each category of the Design4Safety Awards will be decided by an industry panel of health and safety experts, and will be announced at The Logistics Awards event on 26^th September during IMHX 2019.

For more information about Mentor’s Show Your Hand Campaign, visit www.mentorflttraining.co.uk/show-your-hand  or call 01246 555222.