Forklift Truck Training
Operators need to undergo training on an industrial-powered forklift, or lift truck to receive forklift operator certification. The training should be specific to the forklift type and attachments which you will be using on the job location. Training should also reflect the atmosphere in which you will be working. Lift truck safety should be a top priority for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Credentials
Prior to assuming any operator duties, all forklift drivers should undergo both certification and training. Basic credentials for using a forklift include an age minimum of eighteen years and the physical ability to safely control and operate the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The main concern of any forklift operator must be the safety of pedestrians. Pedestrians near the forklift are at risk of injury or death from getting hit by the machine or its attachments. Pedestrians always have the right of way, and forklift drivers must honk their horns when working at crosswalks or intersections or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Lift truck mishaps frequently take place on loading docks. These places become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors making the floor really slippery. Wet floor conditions create a danger and operators must know possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Certification programs for lift truck drivers include both practical training and classroom instruction that could be tailored for the specific requirements of each work setting. Training must be completed on the kind of forklift and attachments which will be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
Each year around 100 people die in forklift mishaps. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported each and every year. Nearly all of these accidents are avoidable with attention to safety and proper operator training.