Lift truck Truck Training Course
Operators must undergo training on an industrial-powered forklift, or lift truck to receive forklift driver certification. The training should be specific to the lift truck attachments and type which you will be using on the job. Training should also reflect the environment wherein you will be working. Lift truck safety must be a top priority for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Credentials
Anybody using a forklift should undergo training and certification prior to assuming operator duties. Basic qualifications for utilizing a forklift include being at least eighteen years old and the physical capacity to safely operate and control the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The main concern of any lift truck operator 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 equipment or its attachments. Pedestrians should always have the right of way, and forklift drivers should honk their horns when working at intersections or crosswalks or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Many accidents involving forklifts take place at loading docks. These places become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors leading to a very slippery floor. Wet floor conditions can result in a danger and operators have to know possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Certification programs for forklift operators include both classroom instruction and practical training that could be tailored for the specific needs of each work setting. Training must be undertaken on the type of forklift and attachments that would be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
Each year approximately 100 people die in forklift mishaps. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported each and every year. Nearly all of these accidents are preventable with attention to safety and proper operator training.