Forklift Truck Training
In order to be given certification as a lift truck driver, you need to undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift. The training program should be specific to the forklift type and attachments which you will be utilizing on the job. Training must also reflect the environment wherein you will be working. Forklift safety should be a main concern for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Qualifications
Prior to assuming any operator duties, all forklift operators must undergo certification and training. Basic qualifications for operating a forklift include being at least eighteen years old and the physical ability to safely control and operate the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians should be a main concern of any forklift operator. Pedestrians near the forklift are at risk of death or injury 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 at intersections or crosswalks or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Lots of mishaps involving lift trucks take place at loading docks. These areas become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors making the floor extremely slippery. Wet floor conditions create a danger and drivers must know possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Certification courses for forklift drivers include both practical training and classroom instruction that could be tailored for the specific requirements of each work environment. Training must be undertaken on the forklift type and attachments which would be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Mishaps
On average, there is about 100 deaths attributed to forklift accidents, while over 100,000 are injured by lift trucks. The majority of these accidents are preventable with proper operator training and attention to safety.