Forklift Truck Training Program
Operators have to undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift to be given forklift operator certification. The training should be specific to the forklift type and attachments that you will be utilizing on the job. Training must also reflect the atmosphere wherein you would be working. Forklift safety must be a top priority for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Before assuming any operator duties, all forklift operators must undergo certification and training. Basic qualifications for driving a lift truck include an age of at least eighteen years and the physical capacity to safely operate and control the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The top concern of any forklift driver 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 machine or its additions. Pedestrians always have the right of way, and forklift operators should honk their horns when working at intersections or crosswalks or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Many mishaps involving forklifts happen at loading docks. These places become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors making the floor really slippery. Wet floor conditions create a hazard and drivers must know possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Lift truck certification programs include a combination of classroom instruction and practical training tailored to the specific requirements of the workplace. Training must be undertaken on the type of forklift and attachments that would be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
On average, there is approximately 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.