Forklift Truck Training
To be given certification as a forklift operator, you should undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift. The training course must be specific to the forklift attachments and type that you will be using on the job location. Training should also reflect the environment in which you will be working. Forklift safety should be a top priority for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Qualifications
Prior to assuming any operator duties, all forklift drivers must undergo both training and certification. Basic credentials for utilizing a forklift include an age of at least eighteen years and the physical ability to safely operate and control the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The main concern of any lift truck driver should be the safety of pedestrians. Pedestrians near the lift truck are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the equipment or its additions. Pedestrians must always have the right of way, and forklift operators should honk their horns when working at intersections or crosswalks or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Numerous accidents involving lift trucks happen at loading docks. These areas become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors making the floor really slippery. Wet floor conditions can lead to a danger and operators should know potential dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Forklift 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 forklift type and attachments that would be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
Every year around 100 individuals die in forklift accidents. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported every year. Most of these accidents could be prevented with correct operator training and attention to safety.