Forklift Truck Training Program
Operators have to undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift to receive forklift driver certification. The training program should be specific to the forklift type and attachments that you will be using on the job. Training should also reflect the environment in which you would be working. Forklift safety should be a top priority for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Credentials
Prior to assuming any operator duties, all forklift drivers must undergo training and certification. Basic qualifications for operating a forklift include being at least 18 years old and the physical capacity to operate and control the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The main concern of any forklift driver must be the safety of pedestrians. Pedestrians in the vicinity of the lift truck are at risk of injury or death from getting hit by the machinery or its attachments. Pedestrians should always have the right of way, and forklift drivers must honk their horns when working near pedestrians or at crosswalks or intersections.
Weather Conditions
Lift truck mishaps often occur on loading docks. These places become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors causing an extremely slippery floor. Wet floor conditions create a hazard and drivers must know possible hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Lift truck certification courses include a combination of classroom instruction and practical training tailored to the specific requirements of the workplace. Training must be completed on the forklift type and attachments that will be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Mishaps
Each year roughly 100 individuals die in forklift accidents. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported every year. Most of these accidents are avoidable with attention to safety and correct operator training.