Forklift Truck Training Course
Operators need to undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift to receive forklift operator certification. The training should be specific to the lift truck attachments and type that you will be utilizing on the job. Training must also reflect the environment in which you would be working. Forklift safety must be a top priority for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Credentials
Before assuming any operator duties, all forklift operators should undergo both certification and training. Basic credentials for operating a forklift include an age minimum of eighteen years and the physical ability to control and operate the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The main concern of any forklift operator must be the safety of pedestrians. Pedestrians in the vicinity of the lift truck are at risk of injury or death from getting hit by the machine or its additions. Pedestrians must always have the right of way, and lift truck operators should honk their horns when working at intersections or crosswalks or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Numerous mishaps involving forklifts occur at loading docks. These places become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors resulting in an extremely slippery floor. Wet floor conditions create a danger and operators must know potential dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Forklift certification courses include a combination of classroom instruction and practical training tailored to the specific requirements of the workplace. Training must be completed on the type of forklift and attachments which will be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Mishaps
On average, there is roughly 100 deaths attributed to forklift mishaps, while over 100,000 are injured by lift trucks. The majority of these accidents are avoidable with attention to safety and proper operator training.