Forklift Truck Training Course
To be given certification as a lift truck driver, you must undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift. The training program should be specific to the lift truck type and attachments that you will be utilizing on the job. Training should also reflect the setting in which you would be working. Forklift safety should be a top priority for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Anyone operating a forklift must undergo both training and certification before assuming operator duties. Basic qualifications for operating a forklift include an age of at least eighteen years and the physical capacity 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 lift truck are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the machine 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
A lot of accidents involving lift trucks happen at loading docks. These areas become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors resulting in a very slippery floor. Wet floor conditions create a danger and operators must know possible hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Forklift certification courses consist of a combination of practical training and classroom instruction tailored to the particular needs of the workplace. Training must be completed on the forklift type and attachments that would be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
On average, there is roughly 100 deaths attributed to forklift mishaps, while more than 100,000 are injured by forklifts. Nearly all of these accidents are preventable with attention to safety and correct operator training.