Forklift Driving and Training
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all forklift operators to pass forklift training. You can find lift-truck training classes at local vocational schools, and you also can hire trainers to come to your business to provide the training course. It's also possible to give one of your employees additional forklift safety training to be the trainer for the rest of your employees.
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Background
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Lift truck safety courses include information on the basic types of forklifts that are in use in most businesses. If you are taking a general forklift training course, you might get more information on the capabilities and styles of different trucks. If your training is specific to the machines in your place of business, the training might focus just on those vehicles. Your training consists of both classroom information as well as hands-on forklift training.
Lift Truck Physics
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Not only do you learn about the various lift trucks, but you also learn how forklifts maneuver heavy loads. You also learn how to stack materials on pallets with a forklift so that the forklift doesn't tip over. Because forklifts employ rear-wheel steering rather than front-wheel steering found on automobiles, they have more maneuverability. Your training shows you how to work with this increased ability to work in tight spots while dealing with bulky pallets loaded with materials.
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Forklift Operation
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This portion of the training puts you on the forklift. You get practice loading and unloading the forklift as well as driving with materials loaded on a pallet. As you operate the forklift, you get a feel for how the physics come into play both in driving the forklift as well as in carrying loads on it.
Forklift Safety
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Your lift truck training instructor should point out dangerous points for you as you work on a lift truck. These include pinch points near the wheels and lifting mechanism where you can get your hands or feet caught. You learn how to use the overhead guard to protect your body from falling objects. Your training also shows you what to do in the event your lift truck turns over. The safety training also teaches you to watch for others as you operate the forklift.
Maintenance
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Although you might not be responsible for the routine maintenance of a forklift, you should know the basics of how to care for one. This includes how to charge the battery safely and how to refuel the lift truck. Your training also includes how to run through a daily maintenance check of such things as tires, safety equipment, steering mechanism and brakes.
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References
- Photo Credit forklift drawing image by timur1970 from Fotolia.com
