Forklift Truck Training Program
Operators need to undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift in order to be given forklift driver certification. The training should be specific to the lift truck type and attachments that you will be utilizing on the job location. Training should also reflect the environment in which you will be working. Forklift safety should be a main concern for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Credentials
Anybody operating a lift truck should undergo training and certification before assuming operator duties. Basic qualifications for utilizing a forklift include an age of at least 18 years and the physical capacity to control and operate the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians should be a main concern of any lift truck operator. Pedestrians near the lift truck are at risk of injury or death from getting hit by the machinery or its attachments. Pedestrians must always have the right of way, and lift truck operators must honk their horns when working near pedestrians or at intersections or crosswalks.
Weather Conditions
Lots of mishaps involving lift trucks occur at loading docks. These places become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors making the floor extremely slippery. Wet floor conditions can lead to a danger and operators must know potential hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Lift truck certification programs include a combination of classroom instruction and practical training tailored to the specific 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
On average, there is roughly 100 deaths attributed to forklift mishaps, while more than 100,000 are injured by forklifts. Most of these accidents could be avoided with correct operator training and attention to safety.