Forklift Truck Training Program
To receive certification as a forklift driver, you must undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift. The training must be specific to the forklift type and attachments which you would be utilizing on the job site. Training should also reflect the setting in which you would be working. Lift truck safety should be a main concern for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Prior to assuming any operator duties, all forklift operators must undergo training and certification. Basic credentials for driving a forklift include being at least eighteen years old and the physical capacity to operate and control the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The main concern of any lift truck operator must be the safety of pedestrians. Pedestrians in the vicinity of the forklift are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the machine or its attachments. Pedestrians should always have the right of way, and forklift drivers should honk their horns when working near pedestrians or at intersections or crosswalks.
Weather Conditions
Forklift mishaps often occur on loading docks. These areas become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors resulting in an extremely slippery floor. Wet floor conditions can lead to a hazard and drivers must know possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Forklift certification courses consist of a combination of classroom instruction and practical training tailored to the specific requirements of the workplace. Training must be undertaken on the forklift type and attachments which would be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
On average, there is roughly 100 deaths attributed to forklift accidents, while more than 100,000 are injured by lift trucks. Nearly all of these accidents are avoidable with attention to safety and proper operator training.