Counterbalance forklift Training
The OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that anyone operating a counterbalanced lift truck be given lecture style or classroom training. They additionally require that a periodic refresher training as well as a supervised driving course is finished. There is no minimum time requirement for the classroom training or supervised driving. Moreover, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
The counterbalanced lift truck's weight is used to balance its cargo utilizing its own weight. The forklift forks are in a fixed position but can be lowered and raised to secure and move cargo. The forks run parallel to the body of the forklift. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that people who will be operating counterbalanced forklifts on the job be properly trained on the trucks while being in the environment that they will be using them.
Classroom Training
Lecture style training or classroom training provides information about the truck that the driver will be utilizing. This training covers aspects such as weight and load capacity, height, how to charge or fuel the lift truck. It covers how to gauge the time on the engine in addition to any lift truck specific safety information like where to stand when walking around the truck. Either oral and/or written testing is part of the classroom training. There is no required minimum time for the training.
Supervised Driving
The operator of a lift truck would need to learn to drive the equipment while being supervised. The supervised driving needs to take place in an environment that resembles the existing environment which the driver works in. This atmosphere must include the type of terrain she will be traveling on, have the same surrounding structures close by, and similar vehicle and pedestrian traffic close by as well. There is no specific minimum number of hours the operator has to drive while being supervised.