What is a Telehandler Medical Assessment?
This is not just a regular medical to DVLA group 2 standards, they must be completed by someone who knows what they are doing as the potential consequences for making any errors can be detrimental.
Specific training is required to operate these machines which vary greatly in size and power. Unlike a lorry, which typically drives forwards and backwards, a telehandler has a boom that can lift loads up to 6 tonnes as high as 17 metres. Additionally, some telehandlers can rotate, which creates added risks related to uneven or adverse ground conditions, as well as people and other vehicles that may be in proximity. Therefore, a more comprehensive assessment is mandated than the standard DVLA group 2 medical.
The HSE identify that telehandlers represent an increased risk on worksites and has published specific guidance which can be found here.
Just as telehandler operators are required to be properly trained and have certificates from recognised schemes, they must be physically and mentally competent to operate safely. This all fits with the legal requirements to assess people, plants, and processes to avoid or minimise the risk of injury and/or damage.
HSE guide on risk assessments can be found here and specific guidance relating to the safe use of vehicles on construction sites can be found here.
Why are Telehandler Medical Assessments Important?
Allowing unassessed drivers to operate telehandlers does not fulfil a firm’s legal obligations. Proper driver assessment is a critical component of both workplace and site risk management strategies.
Working in construction, firms will be familiar with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, especially Part 3 which relates to health and safety duties and roles.
In addition to the DVLA group 2 regulations which are recorded on the D4 medical form further assessments are required for:
- Colour blindness (most people are not aware that this affects some 8% of the population).
- Hearing (although formal audiometry is not necessarily required).
- Musculoskeletal assessment (to ensure that visibility is not impaired by restricted movement, that there is good functional capacity to safely operate the telehandler and that cab ingress and egress can be achieved.)
Firms should further be aware that the DVLA guidelines do not mandate testing for relevant conditions which can affect safe operation such as diabetes, which is widely under-diagnosed as described by Diabetes UK.
It is also becoming increasingly apparent that obesity, which is prevalent in the workforce at all ages, has several relevant effects on telehandler operators – such as:
- Affecting safe cab ingress and egress.
- High association with sleep apnoea – a leading cause of drowsiness and inattention.
- High association with heart (cardiovascular) disease with an increased risk of heart attack or stroke.
- Additionally, obesity has a high correlation with type 2 Diabetes.
Why should you ensure your telehandlers are medically fit?
By ensuring telehandler operators undergo a proper medical assessment from a qualified provider, firms fulfil their legal duty of care to assess and manage risks effectively. The potential for injury, fatalities and damage caused by telehandlers is widely underestimated. However, the many risk-enhancing factors should not be overlooked, and medical fitness must correspond with the risk involved.
In conclusion, ensuring telehandler operators undergo comprehensive medical assessments is essential for meeting legal obligations and maintaining workplace safety. These assessments go beyond the standard DVLA Group 2 requirements to address specific risks associated with telehandler operation, such as physical fitness, colour blindness, and conditions like obesity and diabetes. Given the significant risks telehandlers pose on worksites, firms must prioritise proper assessments as part of a robust risk management strategy to protect operators, other workers, and the wider work environment.