BITA lifts industry standards
January 1st 2007

Bita has launched PAS90, a new industry standard to make onsite working safer for industrial truck engineers

Developed in conjunction with BSi, end users and British Industrial Truck Association members, PAS90 is a 13 page booklet outlining the basic requirements of safe working practice. The result of two and a half year's work, it is the single biggest investment BITA has ever made, according to BITA general secretary, James Clark.

"It will undoubtedly be worth it because demand is so strong," says Clark. "The industry has been grappling with a proliferation of various passport schemes for some time and it was felt that there must be a clearer – and less costly – path through the mire. Hence PAS90's development." Available from BITA for £30 plus postage, the PAS90 guide succinctly covers core elements such as insurance, environmental awareness, trucks, equipment, health and safety, training, and verification.

To help define the necessary training, BITA enlisted the help of accredited training provider RTITB, a BITA member based in Telford. The module is currently going through the verification process "to iron out any wrinkles," according to Clark, and should be in place by IMHX next year.

While the booklet specifies minimum safe working practices for service engineers working on site – and provides guidance on the responsibilities of employers and trainers of service engineers to enable them to work safely on site – Clark warns it is not intended to replace specific engineering training for engineers or local sites' specific induction.

Clark says there is already significant end user interest, which he expects to snowball as BITA members spread word of the new standard ("You will," he says "probably find BITA and others now talking about PAS90 ad nauseum for the foreseeable future." ). He also says BITA will probably now work on end user case studies to help promote PAS90's benefits as the association continues its mission to lift industry standards.

"We're expecting a lot of interest, but naturally it'll need a little time to really take off. Three years ago, for example, Thorough Examination started small, and is now established. But it is every individual company's choice whether they want to use PAS90 – we have made the specification available. BITA exists to lift industry standards, and that's what PAS90 will enable."

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