Forklifts are a common, highly valued piece of equipment used for the transportation and handling of heavy loads in warehouses and businesses across America. In fact, they are widely found in warehouses, agricultural, military, construction, and industrial jobsites all over the world as such forklift operators are in high demand. To do their job, operators must follow safe operating rules at all times. They must always maintain control of the forklift, keep a proper lookout, and operate the forklift at speeds safe for the particular operation and worksite conditions. Forklift training is critical to prepare operators for the hazards and requirements of the job. Here’s a little info on what you should know about this job and what you can expect.  

Job Summary 

Forklift operators are responsible for operating and managing industrial trucks to load and unload materials and deliveries and move them to and from storage areas, machines, and loading docks, into railroad cars or trucks or storage facilities. Responsibilities include unloading and uploading material, identifying damages, reporting shortages, reporting quality deficiencies, transporting materials to workstations, inspecting machinery, evaluating the need for repairs, and keeping updated records of inventory.  

Forklift operators need to have excellent attention to detail, good knowledge of industrial equipment, excellent coordination, good time management skills, interpersonal, and communication skills. Operators need to be in very good physical condition and able to work on their feet for prolonged periods of time.  But in addition to all that, training and certification are required.  

Forklift Training Overview  

Forklift training covers the potential hazards of the work, as well as the requirements and recommended practices that will help you do the job safely and effectively. This includes things like proper operation procedure, avoiding slips and falls in, on and around the equipment, and more.  This training prepares you to operate powered industrial trucks to load and unload materials and deliveries and move them to and from storage areas, machines, and loading docks, into railroad cars or trucks or storage facilities. 

OSHA Requirements

OSHA requires that every forklift operator be trained and certified to operate powered industrial trucks in the workplace. It also requires that the operator’s performance be evaluated on the provisions every three years. Refresher training is needed when operators are found to be operating unsafely, have an accident or a near miss, or when there are changes in the workplace or type of truck they will be operating. Per OSHA standards, forklift training must be composed of formal education, forklift driving practice test, and evaluation to measure the skills of the forklift trainees. 

For more information about opportunities in forklift operation, connect with the recruiting team at All-Star Personnel today.