Lift Truck Training
Many industries make use of powered industrial trucks for material handling. In the recycling business, internal combustion powered forklifts are generally utilized. Lift truck operation requires operators who are well trained. Within North America, training is a requirement, and for good reason. A forklift can cause personal injury or serious property damage if not safely used. A forklift that is loaded could weight three times as much as a motor vehicle. Lift trucks are responsible for a large percentage of industrial accidents, either as the primary or the secondary source of the accident. Reports of injuries or fatalities involving operators or pedestrians are all too commonplace.
Training Requirement
A training program for operators must be developed and applied by employers. Additionally, the program must be based on four factors: the kinds of vehicles being utilized within the workplace, the general principles of safe truck operation, the general safety requirements, based on OSHA and the specific hazards of the workplace. Training combines both practical and formal components. At the completion of the training, operators should pass an assessment showing they have the ability to correctly operate a truck. OSHA also requires that operators of powered industrial trucks must be trained in certain specific topics which apply to safely operating a lift truck.