The lift truck is a dangerous machine. The latest data have proven that more than 100 workers are killed in some form of forklift mishap. 95,000 more workers are hurt on the job every year as well, utilizing these heavy pieces of industrial machinery.
Sadly, most of the fatalities are due to forklift turnovers. The next highest percentage of fatalities is due to being crushed between a lift truck and another surface. The next highest cause of fatality is being struck by the forklift itself and last but not least, getting hit from falling things because of a dropped load is the last statistic. Every fatality or injury is quite awful and gruesome due to the capability and immense weight of these machines.
Who Should Conduct the Training?
All evaluation and teaching needs to be taught by individuals who have the right education, experience and knowledge to teach powered industrial truck operators the correct skills and then to assess their competence after that. Several examples of a qualified trainer comprise an individual who has a certificate, professional status or specialized degree in their possession, or someone who has extensive training, knowledge and experience with lift trucks. A good candidate has plenty of practice and has shown the capability to assess and train industrial truck operators.
If the employer does not wish to perform the training himself, there are numerous resources available for them to pick from. Like for instance, they could employ in local health and safety organizations, like the National Safety Council local chapters, truck manufacturers, or private training consultants who specialize in powered industrial trucks. There are normally local trade and vocational schools that will be very glad to provide some great resources.
There are many sites on the World Wide Web that are dedicated to forklift safety. Private companies could be found on line that offer lift truck safety training services, such as written programs and videos. Nearly all safety videos could either be rented or leased or bought. One vital thing to think about is that simply by showing your employees a video or a series of videos on forklift safety, does not meet the full requirements of the OSHA standard. Subsequent training and skill of the new operators should be conveyed and assessed by a specific way so as to ensure the complete training has been acquired.
Once the driver has successfully passed all of the necessary training, a forklift license will be issued and they will legally be able to drive a lift truck. Valid lift truck certificates are a requirement by organizations in order to keep everybody at the workplace as safe as possible.