Forklift Truck Training
Operators must undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift to receive forklift driver certification. The training course should be specific to the forklift attachments and type that you will be using on the job location. Training must also reflect the atmosphere in which you will be working. Forklift safety should be a main concern for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Qualifications
Prior to assuming any operator duties, all lift truck drivers should undergo training and certification. Basic qualifications for driving a forklift include an age of at least eighteen years and the physical ability to operate and control the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The main concern of any lift truck operator should 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 machinery or its attachments. Pedestrians must always have the right of way, and lift truck operators must honk their horns when working at intersections or crosswalks or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Lift truck mishaps often take place on loading docks. These places become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors leading to an extremely slippery floor. Wet floor conditions can lead to a danger and operators must be aware of possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Certification courses for lift truck drivers consist of both classroom instruction and practical training that can be tailored for the particular requirements of each work environment. Training must be completed on the forklift type and attachments which will be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
On average, there is about 100 deaths attributed to forklift accidents, while over 100,000 are injured by forklifts. Most of these accidents are avoidable with attention to safety and correct operator training.