Forklift Truck Training
Operators have to undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift in order to receive forklift driver certification. The training should be specific to the lift truck type and attachments that you will be utilizing on the job. Training should also reflect the environment wherein you will be working. Lift truck safety should be a top priority for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Credentials
Anyone utilizing a forklift should undergo both training and certification prior to assuming operator duties. Basic credentials for operating a lift truck include an age of at least 18 years and the physical ability to operate and control the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The main concern of any lift truck operator must be the safety of pedestrians. Pedestrians in the vicinity of the lift truck are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the machine or its attachments. Pedestrians should always have the right of way, and forklift operators should honk their horns when working at crosswalks or intersections or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Numerous mishaps involving forklifts take place at loading docks. These places become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors causing a very slippery floor. Wet floor conditions create a hazard and drivers need to know potential hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Certification courses for forklift operators include both classroom instruction and practical training that can be tailored for the specific requirements of each work setting. Training must be undertaken on the kind of forklift and attachments that will be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Mishaps
On average, there is approximately 100 deaths attributed to forklift mishaps, while more than 100,000 are injured by forklifts. The majority of these accidents are avoidable with attention to safety and proper operator training.