Lift truck Truck Training
To be given certification as a lift truck operator, you have to undergo training on an industrial-powered lift truck, or forklift. The training must be specific to the lift truck type and attachments that you will be utilizing on the job. Training should also reflect the atmosphere in which you will be working. Forklift safety must be a top priority for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Qualifications
Before assuming any operator duties, all forklift drivers must undergo both training and certification. Basic credentials for driving a lift truck include an age of at least eighteen years and the physical ability to safely control and operate the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians should be a main concern of any lift truck operator. Pedestrians near the forklift are at risk of injury or death from getting hit by the machine or its attachments. Pedestrians must always have the right of way, and lift truck operators must honk their horns when working at crosswalks or intersections or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Forklift accidents frequently take place on loading docks. These places become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors resulting in an extremely slippery floor. Wet floor conditions create a danger and drivers must know potential dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Certification programs for lift truck drivers include both practical training and classroom instruction which can be tailored for the particular requirements of each work environment. Training must be undertaken on the forklift type and attachments that will be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
Each year about 100 people die in forklift accidents. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported each year. Most of these accidents could be prevented with attention to safety and correct operator training.