Forklift Truck Training Program
Operators must undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift in order to receive forklift driver certification. The training must be specific to the forklift attachments and type that you would be utilizing on the job location. Training must also reflect the atmosphere wherein you would be working. Lift truck safety must 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 certification and training. Basic qualifications for driving a lift truck include an age of at least eighteen years and the physical capacity to safely control and operate the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The main concern of any lift truck driver 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 machinery or its additions. Pedestrians 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 usually occur on loading docks. These places become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors making the floor really slippery. Wet floor conditions can result in a hazard and operators should be aware of possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Lift truck certification programs include a combination of practical training and classroom instruction tailored to the particular needs of the workplace. Training must be completed on the kind of forklift and attachments that will be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Mishaps
On average, there is about 100 deaths attributed to forklift accidents, while over 100,000 are injured by lift trucks. Nearly all of these accidents are avoidable with correct operator training and attention to safety.