Lift truck Truck Training Course
To be given certification as a lift truck driver, you have to undergo training on an industrial-powered forklift, or lift truck. The training must be specific to the lift truck type and attachments which you would be utilizing on the job location. Training should also reflect the environment wherein you would be working. Lift truck safety should be a top priority for both the trainer and the operator trainee.
General Credentials
Prior to assuming any operator duties, all lift truck operators must undergo both certification and training. Basic qualifications for driving a forklift include an age minimum of eighteen years and the physical capacity to operate and control the unit safely.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians should be a main concern of any lift truck driver. Pedestrians in the vicinity of the lift truck are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the equipment or its additions. Pedestrians should always have the right of way, and forklift drivers should honk their horns when working at crosswalks or intersections or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Lift truck accidents frequently take place on loading docks. These places become hazardous if rain leaks in through open dock doors causing a very slippery floor. Wet floor conditions create a danger and operators must know possible hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Lift truck certification courses include a combination of classroom instruction and practical training tailored to the specific needs of the workplace. Training must be completed on the forklift type and attachments that would be used by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
Every year roughly 100 people die in forklift mishaps. There are 100,000 forklift injuries reported each and every year. Nearly all of these accidents are avoidable with attention to safety and proper operator training.