When people think about forklift safety training, they usually picture the operator – The person behind the wheel. The one moving pallets or the one beeping through the warehouse, stockyards, docks or building sites.
But here’s the part many businesses miss:
Supervisors and managers also have legal responsibilities when forklifts are being used and if they’re not properly trained, the company could still be at risk.
That’s exactly why courses like RIZON’s Forklift Management & Supervisor Awareness Course exist and yes – in many workplaces, this training isn’t just “nice to have.” – It forms part of meeting your legal duties under UK health and safety law.
“But I Don’t Drive the Forklift…”
That’s one of the biggest misconceptions in the industry.
A supervisor might never physically operate a forklift truck, but they are often responsible for:
- overseeing lifting operations
- monitoring safe systems of work
- checking operator competence
- identifying unsafe behaviour
- planning warehouse traffic routes
- ensuring inspections are completed
- managing risk assessments
Under UK law, employers must ensure that people who use, supervise, or manage work equipment are adequately trained – That includes forklifts.
So while the operator gets the spotlight, the supervisor still carries responsibility.
The Law Behind It (…made simple)
There are two major regulations involved:
PUWER
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) states that anyone using or supervising work equipment must receive adequate training.
LOLER
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) requires lifting operations to be:
- properly planned
- supervised appropriately
- carried out safely by competent people
Alongside PUWER and LOLER, there is another important piece of guidance many businesses are unaware of when it comes to forklift operations – the HSE Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) L117: Rider-Operated Lift Trucks: Operator Training and Safe Use.
What makes L117 particularly important is that it carries a special legal status.
While it is not legislation itself, an Approved Code of Practice sits between guidance and law. In simple terms, if a business follows the standards outlined within L117, it is generally considered to be meeting its legal duties. If it chooses not to follow the guidance, it would need to demonstrate that it has achieved an equivalent or higher standard of safety.
This is where many organisations discover a significant training gap as L117 does not only focus on forklift operators – it also places clear emphasis on the responsibilities of supervisors and managers involved in forklift operations. The guidance highlights the importance of competent supervision, monitoring safe working practices, managing traffic routes, ensuring operators are appropriately trained and authorised and maintaining safe systems of work.
In simple terms:
If forklifts are operating in your workplace, management cannot afford to “just assume” safety is being handled correctly.
The “I’ve Been Doing This 20 Years” Problem
There is no doubt that experience is invaluable, but experience without updated knowledge and training can often create blind spots.
Warehouses change. Regulations evolve. Workloads increase and shortcuts creep in.
And often, supervisors are promoted because they were excellent operators – not because they’ve received formal leadership or compliance training.
That’s where awareness training becomes hugely important – It’s not because supervisors are bad at their job…but because forklift incidents very rarely happen from one mistake.
Usually it’s a pattern of behaviour built up over time:
- poor supervision,
- unclear procedures,
- weak traffic management,
- rushed operations,
- or unsafe habits becoming “normal.”
Forklift Accidents Are More Common Than People Think
A forklift might seem routine in a warehouse environment, but they’re one of the most dangerous pieces of workplace equipment when poorly managed.
A badly supervised operation can lead to:
- collisions with pedestrians
- overturns
- falling loads
- damaged stock
- serious injuries
- HSE investigations
- prosecution
- insurance issues
- operational downtime
And when incidents happen, investigators don’t just ask: “Was the operator trained?”
They also ask: “Was the operation properly supervised?”
The Hidden Benefit Nobody Talks About: Confidence
One of the underrated benefits of supervisor awareness training is confidence.
Managers often inherit responsibility for forklift safety without ever being shown:
- what “good” actually looks like,
- what to challenge,
- or what the law expects from them.
Training helps supervisors:
- recognise unsafe practices faster
- communicate more effectively with operators
- reduce near misses
- improve workplace culture
- document compliance correctly
- protect both staff and the business
It turns reactive management into proactive leadership.
“We’ve Never Had an Accident…”
That’s great! But health and safety law isn’t based on waiting for something to go wrong first.
Most companies don’t install fire alarms after the fire do they?
Forklift supervisor awareness works the same way: it helps prevent the incident nobody wants to deal with later.
A Final Thought From Us…
Forklift safety isn’t just about who’s driving – It’s about who’s supervising, planning, monitoring and setting the standard for everyone else.
And that’s why forklift management awareness training matters.
Not because it’s another box to tick…but because safer supervision creates safer workplaces.
If your supervisors are responsible for forklift operations, it’s worth making sure they understand both the legal responsibilities and the practical realities involved.
You can learn more about the course here:Forklift Management & Supervisor Awareness – RIZON Training
