Forklift Truck Training Program
Operators must undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift in order to be given forklift operator certification. The training should be specific to the forklift attachments and type which you would be utilizing on the job. Training should also reflect the environment wherein you will be working. Forklift safety must be a top priority for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Anyone utilizing a lift truck should undergo training and certification before assuming operator duties. Basic credentials for driving a forklift include an age of at least eighteen years and the physical ability to control and operate the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The top concern of any lift truck operator should be the safety of pedestrians. Pedestrians near the forklift are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the equipment or its attachments. Pedestrians must always have the right of way, and forklift drivers must honk their horns when working at intersections or crosswalks or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Lots of accidents involving lift trucks happen at loading docks. These areas become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors leading to a very slippery floor. Wet floor conditions create a hazard and operators must know possible hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Certification programs for forklift drivers include both practical training and classroom instruction that could be tailored for the particular requirements of each work setting. Training should be completed on the kind of forklift and attachments which will be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Mishaps
Every year around 100 individuals die in forklift mishaps. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported every year. Nearly all of these accidents are preventable with attention to safety and correct operator training.