Lift truck Truck Training
Operators should undergo training on an industrial-powered forklift, or lift truck to be given forklift operator certification. The training should be specific to the lift truck type and attachments which you would be utilizing on the job. Training should also reflect the environment in which you would be working. Forklift safety should be a main concern for both the operator trainee and the trainer.
General Qualifications
Anybody using a lift truck should undergo training and certification prior to assuming operator duties. Basic qualifications for driving a lift truck include an age of at least eighteen years and the physical capacity to safely control and operate the unit.
Pedestrian Safety
The safety of pedestrians should be a main concern of any lift truck operator. Pedestrians in the vicinity of the lift truck are at risk of death or injury from getting hit by the machine or its additions. Pedestrians must always have the right of way, and lift truck drivers must honk their horns when working at crosswalks or intersections or near pedestrians.
Weather Conditions
Forklift accidents usually occur on loading docks. These areas become dangerous if rain leaks in through open dock doors making the floor very slippery. Wet floor conditions can lead to a danger and drivers should know possible hazards when working in loading dock areas.
Certification
Certification courses for lift truck operators consist of both practical training and classroom instruction which could be tailored for the specific needs of each work environment. Training must be completed on the kind of forklift and attachments that will be utilized by the trainee in the workplace.
Accidents
On average, there is approximately 100 deaths attributed to forklift mishaps, while more than 100,000 are injured by lift trucks. Nearly all of these accidents can be prevented with attention to safety and proper operator training.