Lift truck Truck Training Course
In order to be given certification as a forklift driver, you need to undergo training on an industrial-powered forklift, or lift truck. The training must be specific to the forklift type and attachments that you would be using on the job site. Training must also reflect the environment in which you will be working. Forklift safety must be a top priority for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Qualifications
Before assuming any operator duties, all lift truck operators must undergo training and certification. Basic qualifications for using a lift truck include an age of at least eighteen years and the physical ability to operate and control the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The top concern of any lift truck operator must be the safety of pedestrians. Pedestrians near the lift truck are at risk of injury or death from getting hit by the equipment or its additions. Pedestrians must always have the right of way, and lift truck drivers must honk their horns when working near pedestrians or at intersections or crosswalks.
Weather Conditions
Many accidents involving lift trucks occur at loading docks. These areas become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors resulting in an extremely slippery floor. Wet floor conditions create a hazard and operators have to be aware of possible dangers when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Forklift certification programs include a combination of classroom instruction and practical training tailored to the specific requirements of the workplace. Training should be undertaken on the forklift type and attachments that would be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Mishaps
On average, there is roughly 100 deaths attributed to forklift accidents, while more than 100,000 are injured by forklifts. Most of these accidents are preventable with correct operator training and attention to safety.