Forklift Truck Training Course
In order to be given certification as a forklift driver, you should undergo training on an industrial-powered forklift, or lift truck. The training course should be specific to the lift truck attachments and type which you will be utilizing on the job. Training should also reflect the environment in which you will be working. Lift truck safety must be a top priority for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Qualifications
Prior to assuming any operator duties, all lift truck operators should undergo training and certification. Basic qualifications for driving a lift truck include an age of at least eighteen years and the physical capacity to safely operate and control the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The main concern of any lift truck driver must be the safety of pedestrians. Pedestrians in the vicinity of 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 forklift drivers should honk their horns when working near pedestrians or at crosswalks or intersections.
Weather Conditions
Forklift mishaps often take place on loading docks. These places become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors making the floor extremely slippery. Wet floor conditions could result in a danger and drivers must know possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Lift truck certification programs consist of a combination of practical training and classroom instruction tailored to the particular requirements of the workplace. Training should be undertaken on the forklift type and attachments which will be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
Every year roughly 100 people die in forklift mishaps. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported each and every year. The majority of these accidents could be prevented with attention to safety and proper operator training.