en.Wedoany.com Reported - The 12th UK National Forklift Safety Day, organized by the United Kingdom Material Handling Association (UKMHA), will focus on technician safety issues and is scheduled for June 9, 2026. This year's theme highlights the critical importance of safety for technicians in the material handling sector.
National Forklift Safety Day is a leading safety initiative in the industry promoting best practices for forklift operation, maintenance, and management. The event emphasizes the vital role of engineers and service technicians in ensuring the safe and efficient operation of equipment, while also raising awareness of the risks they face in the workplace.
Based on UKMHA workplace injury data, the initiative highlights several key safety concerns. The data shows that between 2019 and 2025, UK forklift suppliers lost an average of over 1,000 working days per year due to workplace injuries. Of these recorded incidents, 85% involved technicians working at customer sites. Nearly 40% of incidents were caused by poor manual handling or simple slips and trips, and over 20% of injuries resulting in lost time were related to manual handling issues. Additionally, one-third of incidents occurred when technicians were not actively working on the material handling equipment itself.
Commenting on the launch of National Forklift Safety Day, UKMHA Technical Director David Goss stated that in the UK material handling industry, one in every 80 people suffers a serious injury each year, with many of these incidents being entirely preventable. He noted that the Association has published technician accident data on the National Forklift Safety Day website, showing that lost-time injuries result in an average absence of over two weeks. Behind every statistic is a real person and a moment that could have been avoided.
UKMHA's established long-term goal is to reduce the number of safety incidents and accidents involving material handling equipment by improving work practices for common activities through guidance, training, and industry awareness.
As part of this initiative, the Association has developed a series of toolbox talks covering common workplace risks and practical safety measures, with topics including manual handling techniques, safe access and egress from equipment, and handling liquefied petroleum gas cylinders. The Association emphasizes that when working at customer sites, technician safety is a shared responsibility of both the employer and the customer. To this end, UKMHA provides a site access checklist and continues to encourage businesses to sign the UKMHA Safe Working Zone Charter. This initiative aims to create safer on-site conditions for visiting technicians and foster closer collaboration between service providers and end-users.
The 12th National Forklift Safety Day demonstrates the material handling industry's collective commitment to improving workplace safety. UKMHA members and supporting organizations are actively sharing safety information, resources, and best practices through corporate and social media channels. While the traditional date is the second Tuesday of June, UKMHA emphasizes that the goal of the initiative is to make every day National Forklift Safety Day.
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