Regarded as one of the material handling industry’s most important safety initiatives, National Forklift Safety Day (NFSD) aims to emphasise best practices for MHE use to ensure safe workplaces for everyone.
Forklift truck technicians are being injured at work, more often than not due to everyday tasks like manual handling or poor site conditions. UKMHA’s National Forklift Safety Day (NFSD) 2026 is focused on tackling this head-on, by equipping businesses and technicians with the knowledge and training they need to be safer around the workplace.
As part of this, we are launching three new dedicated training courses designed to reduce technician incidents by improving manual handling practices. These will provide essential first aid knowledge, and equip in-house trainers to deliver consistent, high-quality MHE technician training. NFSD will also include bite-sized ‘Toolbox Talks’ training videos, and a Lost Time Injury (LTI) report focused on workplace injuries experienced by MHE technicians.
We have released a series of downloadable digital assets you can use to promote the campaign and highlight best practices for forklift safety. We encourage you to actively engage with the campaign and promote its messages by utilising these freely available materials, including social media graphics, posters and email footers.
If you are posting on social media, be sure to use the hashtag #NFSD2026.
To access NFSD digital assets and learn more about how you can get involved, please visit:
We have released a range of digital assets businesses can use to promote NFSD 2026 and highlight best practices. If you would like to support this year’s campaign, feel free to download them, add your own branding, and use them to support your own messaging.You can also submit your own digital assets to the event, click the button below to get started.
A practical, hands-on short course addressing the specific manual handling tasks undertaken by forklift technicians.
Aimed at experienced in-house trainers working with mobile MHE service technicians, this course equips candidates with the knowledge and skills to deliver the UKMHA Manual Handling for MHE Technicians course.
An essential overview of skills and knowledge needed to respond safely and confidently in emergency situations.
Toolbox talks are a simple but effective way to reinforce safe working practices. Delivered by Elite Force Training, these videos will cover key risk areas such as van safety, site arrival, task-appropriate PPE, lifting loads, and LPG cylinder handling.
Read our report on workplace injuries experienced by MHE technicians to understand the scale of the problem, why and when accidents occur, and what can be done to reduce their incidence rate.
“Between 2019 and 2025 UK forklift suppliers lost, on average, more than 1,000 working days per year due to workplace injuries. According to UKMHA data, 85% of these incidents occurred to forklift technicians whilst working at customers’ premises. Surprisingly, more than 20% of injuries resulting in time off work are due to manual handling failings and 30% of the incidents occur when technicians aren’t even physically working on the MHE.”
David Goss – Technical Director, UKMHA
