Forklift Truck Training Program
Operators need to undergo training on an industrial-powered forklift, or lift truck in order to receive forklift driver certification. The training must be specific to the forklift type and attachments that you would be using on the job site. Training should also reflect the atmosphere wherein you will be working. Forklift safety must be a main concern for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Before assuming any operator duties, all forklift operators should undergo both certification and training. Basic qualifications for using a forklift include being at least 18 years old and the physical ability to operate and control the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians should be a top concern of any forklift operator. Pedestrians near the forklift are at risk of injury or death from getting hit by the machine or its attachments. Pedestrians must always have the right of way, and lift truck drivers should honk their horns when working near pedestrians or at crosswalks or intersections.
Weather Conditions
Lift truck accidents often take place on loading docks. These places become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors leading to an extremely slippery floor. Wet floor conditions could lead to a hazard and operators have to know possible hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Lift truck certification programs consist of a combination of practical training and classroom instruction tailored to the specific needs of the workplace. Training should be undertaken on the kind of forklift and attachments which would be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Mishaps
On average, there is roughly 100 deaths attributed to forklift accidents, while over 100,000 are injured by lift trucks. The majority of these accidents are preventable with correct operator training and attention to safety.