Lift truck Truck Training
Operators must undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift in order to be given forklift operator certification. The training program should be specific to the lift truck attachments and type which you will be utilizing on the job. Training should also reflect the environment wherein you would be working. Lift truck safety should be a top priority for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Before assuming any operator duties, all lift truck drivers must undergo training and certification. Basic qualifications for driving a lift truck include being at least eighteen years old and the physical capacity to operate and control the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians must be a top concern of any forklift operator. Pedestrians near the forklift are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the machinery or its additions. Pedestrians always have the right of way, and forklift operators must honk their horns when working near pedestrians or at crosswalks or intersections.
Weather Conditions
Forklift accidents usually occur on loading docks. These places become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors causing an extremely slippery floor. Wet floor conditions could lead to a danger and drivers must know possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Forklift certification programs consist of a combination of practical training and classroom instruction tailored to the particular requirements of the workplace. Training should be completed on the kind of forklift and attachments which would be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
Each year around 100 individuals die in forklift accidents. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported each year. Nearly all of these accidents can be avoided with proper operator training and attention to safety.