BITA is a key player in the European Materials Handling industry

Through its membership of the British Materials Handling Federation (www.bmhf.org.uk), BITA is a stakeholder in the Federation Européenne de la Manutention (www.fem-eur.com), European manufacturers' association of materials handling, lifting and storage equipment.

BITA also enjoys strong ongoing relationships with:

• The Trade Association Forum, supported by the CBI
  (www.taforum.org )
• The Department For Business Enterprise And Regulatory Reform, BERR, formerly DTI
  (www.berr.gov.uk)
• The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport
  (www.ciltuk.org.uk )

As well as representing its members’ interests in these forums, BITA also provides a valuable service by reporting back decisions and information in a concise, comprehensible form.

Partner Oganisations

BITA operates at UK, EU and global levels to influence developments and advances in industrial truck safety, performance, cost-effectiveness and significance. To achieve this, BITA works in partnership with a whole host of organisations and regulatory bodies, including:

• the British Standards Institution, BSI
  (www.bsi-global.com )
• the European Committee for Standardisation, CEN
  (www.cenorm.be)
• the International Standards Organisation, ISO
  (www.iso.org)
• the Health & Safety Executive, HSE
  (www.hse.gov.uk)
• the International Electrotechnical Commission, IEC
  (www.iec.ch)

(BITA is not responsible for the content of third-party website linked from this site.)

BITA's Contribution to the HSE's new warehouse
safety guide

Early in 2008 the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) published a second edition of its book Warehousing And Storage: A Guide To Health And Safety (HSG 76). This is an essential best practice manual to help maximise safety in all aspects of warehousing and storage operations.

The new edition of the book included extensive co-operation between the HSE and the Warehousing Health and Safety Forum (WHSF). The WHSF is a committee of experts drawn from trade associations, trade unions and employer organisations – and the British Industrial Truck Association, BITA, is a member.

BITA's key concern was emphasising the importance of proper, effective maintenance and inspection of lift trucks. The HSE book includes a tabular listing of all commonly-used industrial truck types, together with the statutory instruments governing their inspection regimes, and the maximum inspection intervals applicable to each.

For peace of mind and full legal compliance, operators should choose a Thorough Examination provider accredited by the CFTS Thorough Examination scheme, in which BITA is a joint stakeholder.

Warehousing And Storage: A Guide To Health And Safety
HSE Books, 2007, 124pp. ISBN 9780717662258. Price £14.50+VAT

Cover image © HSE