Forklift Truck Training
To be given certification as a lift truck operator, you must undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift. The training program should be specific to the forklift attachments and type that you will be using on the job site. Training must also reflect the environment wherein you will be working. Lift truck safety must be a main concern for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Anybody utilizing a forklift should undergo training and certification before assuming operator duties. Basic credentials for utilizing a lift truck include an age minimum of eighteen years and the physical ability to control and operate the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians should be a top concern of any forklift driver. Pedestrians in the vicinity of the lift truck are at risk of injury or death from getting hit by the machine or its additions. Pedestrians always have the right of way, and forklift drivers should honk their horns when working at crosswalks or intersections or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Lift truck accidents usually happen on loading docks. These areas become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors resulting in an extremely slippery floor. Wet floor conditions create a hazard and drivers must know potential dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Lift truck certification courses include a combination of classroom instruction and practical training tailored to the particular needs of the workplace. Training should be completed on the forklift type and attachments that would 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. The majority of these accidents are preventable with attention to safety and correct operator training.