Forklift Truck Training
In order to be given certification as a lift truck operator, you need to undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift. The training must be specific to the forklift type and attachments that you will be using on the job site. Training should also reflect the setting in which you will be working. Lift truck safety must be a main concern for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Before assuming any operator duties, all lift truck operators should undergo both training and certification. Basic credentials for using a forklift include an age of at least eighteen years and the physical ability to safely control and operate the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The top concern of any forklift operator must be the safety of pedestrians. Pedestrians in the vicinity of the forklift are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the equipment or its attachments. Pedestrians should always have the right of way, and lift truck operators should honk their horns when working near pedestrians or at intersections or crosswalks.
Weather Conditions
Numerous mishaps involving lift trucks 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 should be aware of possible hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Forklift certification courses include a combination of classroom instruction and practical training tailored to the specific needs of the workplace. Training should be completed on the forklift type and attachments which would be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
On average, there is around 100 deaths attributed to forklift accidents, while over 100,000 are injured by forklifts. Most of these accidents are preventable with correct operator training and attention to safety.