Forklift Thorough Examinations

Is your fork lift truck up to the mark?

We are pleased to announce that R C Boreham & Co now has CFTS trained staff to carry out Thorough Examinations on fork trucks. Please read on for more detailed information and to find out if your fork lift truck is up to the mark. If you have any questions or would like to organise a Thorough Examination on your truck please contact Matt Boreham or Rod Brett.


A Thorough Examination has been a legal requirement since 1998 for a fork truck. An examination is required when a truck is a year old and afterwards, a minimum of once a year, depending on the truck and its use. Not everyone is aware of the obligations the law places on truck owners and operators so here are a few examples.



  • In long-term hire, it is the operating company – not the company supplying the truck – that is responsible for Thorough Examination.

  • In short-term hire, both the operating company and the hire company have a responsibility for ensuring that the truck has a current Report of Thorough Examination.

  • In second-hand purchase, the buyer is responsible for checking that the truck has a current Report of Thorough Examination before using it.


Thorough Examination is NOT a normal part of routine maintenance, if you want the supplier who services your trucks to carry this out as well, you must make that part of your contract as well as ensuring that they are competent to carry out Thorough Examinations.


Don’t be caught out!  - Not every inspection is a Thorough Examination. 


Inspection is part of routine service and maintenance, sometimes when your truck is serviced you’re given a copy of the inspection sheet, this is unlikely to be valid for the purpose of Thorough Examination.


Insurance inspections and inspections by specialist inspection companies may or may not be valid Thorough Examinations, to find out you will need to ask the inspector some questions.



  • Is the inspection a Thorough Examination in accordance with the LOLER 98?

  • Can you see a copy of the report?

  • Are the words “Report of Thorough Examination” written across the top of it?


If not then you will need to ask further questions to satisfy yourself that the examination is valid.


CFTS stands for Consolidated Fork truck Services Ltd and is an accrediting body that was formed specifically to develop and administer the fork lift truck industry’s national scheme for Thorough Examinations. Benefits of the CFTS scheme are,



  • It applies the same agreed procedures and high standards nationally.

  • Each accredited company agrees to follow the stringent code.

  • The procedures and standards have been developed by the people who know the most about fork lift safety – BITA, FLTA and HSE.

  • It is designed to address the specific needs of fork lift trucks

  • People carrying out CFTS Thorough Examinations are fully trained and qualified to do so and are also experienced in working with fork lift trucks.

  • Accredited companies have the backing of the FLTA and BITA & their expertise.


On completion of a CFTS accredited Thorough Examination, the examiner will give you the following documents to certify everything has been carried out according to the standards demanded by CFTS, and the law, and to advise you on what further action is necessary.


A Report of Thorough Examination in accordance with LOLER 98.

A Check List showing what has been checked and any comments made.

A Certificate to keep with the truck’s documents.

A sticker, placed on the truck, showing the month and year that the next Thorough Examination will be due.