Forklift Truck Training
Operators need to undergo training on an industrial-powered forklift, or lift truck to receive forklift operator certification. The training course should be specific to the forklift attachments and type which you would be using on the job. Training should also reflect the atmosphere wherein you will be working. Forklift safety must be a main concern for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Qualifications
Before assuming any operator duties, all lift truck drivers must undergo both training and certification. Basic credentials for utilizing a lift truck include being at least eighteen years old and the physical capacity to safely operate and control the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians must be a top concern of any lift truck driver. Pedestrians in the vicinity of the forklift are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the machine or its additions. Pedestrians should always have the right of way, and lift truck drivers must honk their horns when working at intersections or crosswalks or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Many accidents involving lift trucks take place at loading docks. These areas become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors leading to a very slippery floor. Wet floor conditions create a danger and operators should know possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Certification courses for forklift operators include both practical training and classroom instruction which can be tailored for the particular requirements of each work environment. Training should be undertaken on the kind of forklift and attachments which will be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
Each year roughly 100 people die in forklift mishaps. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported each year. Most of these accidents are avoidable with proper operator training and attention to safety.