Counterbalance lift truck Training
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA require that anybody using a counterbalanced forklift receive classroom or lecture style training. They additionally require that a supervised driving course is finished as well as periodic refresher training. There is no required minimum time for the classroom training or supervised driving. Furthermore, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
A counterbalanced forklift balances its cargo using the truck's weight. The forks on a lift truck are in a fixed position; they go down and up and do not pivot. The forks run parallel to the forklift's body. OSHA require that drivers who would be using counterbalanced forklifts on the job be trained on the trucks while being in the environment which they will be utilizing them.
Classroom Training
Classroom training or lecture style training offers information about the truck that the driver will be utilizing. This training covers aspects like weight and load capacity, height, how to fuel or charge the lift truck. It covers how to gauge the time on the engine along with any lift truck specific safety information including where to stand when walking around the truck. Either written and/or oral testing is part of the classroom training. There is no required minimum time for the training.
Supervised Driving
The driver of a forklift would have to learn to operate the machinery while being supervised. The supervised driving has to take place in an environment that resembles the present environment that the operator works in. This atmosphere should include the type of terrain she will be traveling on, have the same surrounding structures close by, and the same pedestrian and vehicle traffic close by too. There is no specific minimum number of hours the driver needs to drive while being supervised.