Counterbalance lift truck Training
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA require that anybody operating a counterbalanced lift truck receive classroom or lecture style training. They also require that a supervised driving program is finished as well as periodic refresher training. There is no minimum time requirement for the classroom training or supervised driving. Also, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
A counterbalanced forklift balances its load using the weight of the truck. The forks on a lift truck are in a fixed position; they go up and down and do not turn. The forks run parallel to the body of the forklift. OSHA require that individuals who will be utilizing counterbalanced forklifts on the job be trained on the trucks while being in the kind of setting that they will be utilizing them.
Classroom Training
Training either in a classroom or lecture style will offer forklift and driver information for the truck you will be utilizing. Most training will include several aspects like the weight and load capacity, height, how to charge or fuel the forklift. It includes how to gauge the time on the engine in addition to any lift truck specific safety information like for example where to stand when walking around the truck. Either oral and/or written testing is part of the classroom training. There is no minimum time requirement for the training.
Supervised Driving
The forklift driver has to learn how to use the counterbalanced lift truck while being supervised. The supervised driving has to take place in an area which reflects the environment the driver would be driving in. This atmosphere must include the kind of terrain she will be traveling on, have the same pedestrian and vehicle traffic close by, and the same surrounding structures close by too. There is no required minimum number of hours the driver needs to drive while being supervised.