Forklift Truck Training Program
To receive certification as a lift truck driver, you need to undergo training on an industrial-powered forklift, or lift truck. The training course should be specific to the lift truck attachments and type which you will be utilizing on the job location. Training must also reflect the setting wherein you will be working. Lift truck safety must be a main concern for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Credentials
Anybody using a lift truck should undergo both training and certification before assuming operator duties. Basic credentials for driving a forklift include being at least eighteen years old and the physical ability to control and operate the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians must be a main concern of any lift truck operator. Pedestrians in the vicinity of the forklift are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the equipment or its additions. Pedestrians must always have the right of way, and lift truck drivers must honk their horns when working at intersections or crosswalks or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Lift truck accidents frequently occur on loading docks. These places become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors resulting in 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
Certification courses for lift truck operators consist of both classroom instruction and practical training that could be tailored for the specific needs of each work environment. Training should be undertaken on the type of forklift and attachments which will be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
Every year about 100 people die in forklift mishaps. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported every year. Most of these accidents are preventable with correct operator training and attention to safety.