Counterbalance lift truck Training
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration does require operators utilizing a counterbalanced forklift to have received lecture style or classroom training. They additionally require that a supervised driving program is finished in addition to periodic refresher training. There is no minimum time requirement for the supervised driving or classroom training. Moreover, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
The counterbalanced lift truck's weight is used to balance its cargo utilizing its own weight. The forklift forks are in a fixed position but can be lowered and raised to secure and move loads. The forks run parallel to the body of the forklift. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that individuals who will be utilizing counterbalanced forklifts on the job be properly trained on the trucks while being in the kind of environment which they would be using them.
Classroom Training
Training either lecture style or in a classroom will provide lift truck and driver information for the truck you will be utilizing. Most training would include certain aspects such as the weight and load capacity, height, how to charge or fuel the lift truck. It includes how to gauge the time on the engine as well as 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 drive the counterbalanced forklift while being supervised. The supervised driving needs to take place in an area which reflects the environment the operator would be driving in. This atmosphere should include the type of terrain she would be traveling on, have similar surrounding structures nearby, and the same pedestrian and vehicle traffic close by also. There is no required minimum number of hours the operator needs to drive while being supervised.