Forklift Truck Training Course
Operators must undergo training on an industrial-powered forklift, or lift truck to be given forklift driver certification. The training should be specific to the lift truck attachments and type that you would be using on the job location. Training must also reflect the environment wherein you will be working. Forklift safety should be a main concern for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Qualifications
Before assuming any operator duties, all forklift operators should undergo both certification and training. Basic qualifications for utilizing a forklift include being at least 18 years old and the physical capacity to safely operate and control the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The main concern of any lift truck operator should be the safety of pedestrians. Pedestrians near the lift truck are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the machine or its attachments. Pedestrians always have the right of way, and lift truck drivers must honk their horns when working at intersections or crosswalks or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Many accidents involving lift trucks occur at loading docks. These areas become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors making the floor extremely slippery. Wet floor conditions create a hazard and operators need to know potential hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Forklift certification courses consist of a combination of classroom instruction and practical training tailored to the specific needs of the workplace. Training must be undertaken on the kind of forklift and attachments that would be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
On average, there is around 100 deaths attributed to forklift mishaps, while over 100,000 are injured by lift trucks. Most of these accidents are avoidable with attention to safety and correct operator training.