Forklift Truck Training Program
To be given certification as a forklift operator, you should undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift. The training program should be specific to the forklift type and attachments that you would be utilizing on the job site. Training should also reflect the setting wherein you will be working. Lift truck safety must be a main concern for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Credentials
Anyone utilizing a forklift must undergo both training and certification before assuming operator duties. Basic qualifications for using a forklift include an age of at least eighteen years and the physical ability to safely control and operate the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians must be a main concern of any forklift operator. Pedestrians in the vicinity of the forklift are at risk of injury or death from getting hit by the machinery or its attachments. Pedestrians should always have the right of way, and lift truck operators should honk their horns when working near pedestrians or at crosswalks or intersections.
Weather Conditions
Lift truck accidents usually happen on 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 be aware of possible hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Lift truck certification programs include a combination of practical training and classroom instruction tailored to the specific needs of the workplace. Training must be completed on the forklift type and attachments which will be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Mishaps
On average, there is roughly 100 deaths attributed to forklift accidents, while over 100,000 are injured by lift trucks. The majority of these accidents could be avoided with attention to safety and proper operator training.