International Forklift and Pallet Building Competition 2010

The 2010 International Forklift and Pallet Building Competition organised by Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited (Hactl) was successfully held on 10 January in SuperTerminal 1 at Hong Kong International Airport, attracting six international airlines to Hong Kong to showcase their best practices in forklift driving and pallet building.  The event has been held for the fourth year and has successfully promoted occupational health and safety as well as elevated professional cargo handling standards among industry partners. 

The meaningful event drew wide attention from the industry and community, with the presence of Mr Yau Shing Mu, JP, Under Secretary for Transport and Housing; Mr Tso Sing Hin, JP, Assistant Commissioner (Occupational Safety) of Labour Department and Mr Tang Wah Shing, Executive Director of Occupational Safety and Health Council as officiating guests to kick off the competition and convey the important message of work health and safety.

Six participating airlines, namely Air China Cargo, British Airways World Cargo, EVA Air, Japan Airlines, Cargolux Airlines (represented by LuxairCARGO) and Nippon Cargo Airlines, sent their professional representatives from their home bases around the world to Hong Kong to compete for 11 titles recognising outstanding performance in safety awareness and operational skills.  Winners were judged by a credible panel of judges formed by various industry associations including Cargo Liaison Group, HAFFA and Occupational Safety and Health Council.  Hactl also deployed its team to join the competition. 

Each competing team strived hard to demonstrate their forklift operation and pallet building skills, meanwhile showing their compliance and consciousness on operational safety.  After exciting rounds of competition, Cargolux Airlines became the clear winner by clinching four award titles – the overall champion, champion under the “Pallet Building” category, first-runner-up under the “Forklift” category and the “Forklift Driving Safety Award”.

“Safety is absolutely paramount in air cargo operations as well as the whole aviation industry. Hactl has been making consistent efforts to provide a safe environment for our staff as well as all terminal users and our efforts have yielded satisfactory results.  In 2009, work injury cases in SuperTerminal 1 reduced to only 55 cases compared with 90 cases in 2006 when we held the first Forklift and Pallet Building Competition,” said Mr Anthony Wong, Managing Director of Hactl.  “As the leading service provider in the air cargo industry, we feel obliged to promote the message of work health and safety to the whole air cargo community and that is why we organise this meaningful annual event for all industry players, in the hope of raising overall safety awareness and operational skills as well as providing a platform of knowledge exchange.”
 

Source: Transportweekly