Forklift Truck Training Course
Operators should undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift in order to be given forklift operator certification. The training program must be specific to the forklift attachments and type which you would be using on the job location. Training must also reflect the setting in which you would be working. Lift truck safety must be a top priority for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Anybody using a lift truck should undergo training and certification before assuming operator duties. Basic qualifications for using a lift truck include being at least 18 years old and the physical capacity to control and operate the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians should be a top concern of any lift truck driver. Pedestrians in the vicinity of the forklift are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the machinery or its additions. Pedestrians should 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
Forklift accidents often occur on loading docks. These areas become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors leading to a very slippery floor. Wet floor conditions could result in a danger and drivers should be aware of possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Forklift certification programs include a combination of practical training and classroom instruction tailored to the particular needs of the workplace. Training should be completed on the kind of forklift and attachments which would be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Mishaps
On average, there is around 100 deaths attributed to forklift mishaps, while more than 100,000 are injured by forklifts. Nearly all of these accidents can be avoided with correct operator training and attention to safety.