Skills of a Stand Up Forklift Driver
The forklift or powered industrial truck is a heavy duty equipment found in practically every factory and warehouse. These reliable and tough machines could raise and transport heavy things that are not able to raise manually. There is some specific training complete in order to be able to safely operate a forklift. Most employers prefer a high school degree. As the forklift is a heavy piece of machine it could be dangerous if not properly handled, thus, the skills of the operator are extremely necessary.
Good Judgment
The forklift driver has to have good judgment to be able to estimate how much a load weighs. They have to be able to judge the height and width of the cargo in order to ensure that it would fit in a designed area. It is vital to have good judgement to be able to move the forklift around obstacles and negotiate tight turns in order to be able to capably drive the equipment in reverse.
Reflexes and Concentration
Driver skills that come in handy are good hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes. For example, if a stack of objects in a load or a pallet is off balance and about to fall, the driver should be able to respond quickly and try to solve the issue. In order to prevent mishaps, a high level of concentration is required when utilizing and working near these machines.
Adaptability
One of the top skills of a forklift operator is that they have to be adaptable to the work surroundings. This could be continually changing depending on the task. Several forklift tasks need drivers to be exposed to harmful materials, dangerous machines, loud noises, fumes or odors. Work surroundings and warehouses could be really busy places. The lift truck driver must be able to keep a cool head and an eye toward safety in general. Additionally, many forklift jobs require being outdoors to move items or unload merchandise; hence, the driver needs to be ready at the likelihood of working in poor weather conditions.
Equipment Maintenance
Forklift operators have to understand how heavy mobile equipment works and need to be able and willing to follow instructions. Drivers must learn how to double check an OSHA safety checklist and be able to make certain that the steering, the horn, the lights, the forks and the brakes, along with other components are functioning at an optimal level.
Forklift truck drivers have to also understand how to correctly maintain the vehicles and have to know when something is not functioning correctly. An important part of lift truck truck training is also being able to explain to mechanics about equipment issues.