Lift trucks are really dangerous machines. Data by OSHA prove that approximately 100 warehouse workers are killed every year in lift truck mishaps while they are using them. 95,000 more employees are injured on the job each and every year too, using these heavy pieces of industrial machinery.
Sadly, nearly all of the fatalities are due to lift truck turnovers. The second highest percentage of fatalities is due to being crushed between a forklift and another surface. The next highest cause of fatality is being struck by the lift truck itself and last of all, getting hit from falling items because of a dropped load is the last statistic. Every fatality or injury is quite gruesome and terrible due to the ability and immense weight of these equipment.
Who Should Conduct the Training?
All evaluation and teaching needs to be taught by people who have the appropriate training, knowledge and experience to train powered industrial truck operators the correct skills and then to assess their competency after that. Several examples of a skilled trainer include an individual who has a certificate, certified degree or professional status in their possession, or who has extensive training, knowledge and experience with lift trucks. A good candidate has lots of practice and has demonstrated the capability to assess and teach drivers of industrial trucks.
If the employer does not wish to perform the training himself, there are numerous resources accessible for them to pick from. Like for example, they could hire in local health and safety organizations, like for example truck manufacturers, the National Safety Council local chapters, or private training consultants who specialize in powered industrial trucks. There are often local vocational and trade schools that would be happy to provide some great resources.
The internet is full of websites committed to the safety of forklifts. There are also private companies which provide forklift safety training services, like written programs and videos. Most safety videos could either be purchased or rented or leased. One really vital thing to think about is that simply by showing your workers a video or a series of videos about forklift safety, does not meet the full requirements of the OSHA standard. Subsequent training and skill of the new operators must be conveyed and assessed by a specific method in order to make sure that the full training has been acquired.
Once drivers have passed their training requirements, they will be given a lift truck license which enables them to drive a forklift. Valid forklift licenses are a requirement by organizations to be able to keep everyone at the workplace as safe as possible.