Forklift Truck Training Course
Operators must undergo training on an industrial-powered forklift, or lift truck to receive forklift driver certification. The training must be specific to the lift truck attachments and type that you would be using on the job. Training must also reflect the environment in which you would be working. Forklift safety should be a top priority for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Prior to assuming any operator duties, all forklift drivers should undergo both certification and training. Basic qualifications for driving a forklift include being at least eighteen years old and the physical capacity to safely operate and control the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians must be a main concern of any lift truck driver. Pedestrians near the lift truck are at risk of injury or death from getting hit by the machinery or its additions. Pedestrians should always have the right of way, and lift truck operators must honk their horns when working near pedestrians or at crosswalks or intersections.
Weather Conditions
A lot of accidents involving lift trucks occur at loading docks. These places become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors making the floor very slippery. Wet floor conditions create a danger and operators need to be aware of possible hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Forklift certification courses include a combination of practical training and classroom instruction tailored to the specific requirements of the workplace. Training should be undertaken on the kind of forklift and attachments which would be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
Each year around 100 people die in forklift mishaps. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported each and every year. The majority of these accidents are avoidable with proper operator training and attention to safety.