Forklift Truck Training
To be given certification as a forklift driver, you must undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift. The training course must be specific to the lift truck type and attachments that you will be using on the job. Training should also reflect the atmosphere in which you would be working. Forklift safety must be a top priority for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Anyone operating a forklift should undergo training and certification before assuming operator duties. Basic qualifications 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 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 machine or its additions. Pedestrians always have the right of way, and forklift operators must honk their horns when working near pedestrians or at crosswalks or intersections.
Weather Conditions
Lots of mishaps involving forklifts occur at loading docks. These areas become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors making the floor very slippery. Wet floor conditions create a hazard and drivers must know possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Certification courses for lift truck operators include both classroom instruction and practical training which could be tailored for the specific needs of each work environment. Training should be undertaken on the forklift type and attachments that will be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
On average, there is around 100 deaths attributed to forklift mishaps, while more than 100,000 are injured by lift trucks. Nearly all of these accidents can be prevented with correct operator training and attention to safety.