Equipment Operators are a highly valued and necessary part of the warehouse and business sectors. Equipment operators are widely found in warehouses, agricultural, military, construction, and industrial job sites all over the world. Equipment operators manage a wide range of different machinery, from forklifts to cherry pickers. To do their job, operators must follow safe operating rules at all times. They must always maintain control of the machines, keep a proper lookout, and manage their equipment at speeds safe for the particular operation and worksite conditions. 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
Equipment operators are responsible for operating and managing industrial trucks and machines to perform a wide variety of activities. For example, forklift operators move objects to and from storage areas, machines, and loading docks, into railroad cars or trucks or storage facilities. Responsibilities include operating their machines, identifying damages, reporting shortages, reporting quality deficiencies, transporting materials to workstations, inspecting machinery, evaluating the need for repairs, and keeping updated records of inventory.
Equipment operators need to have excellent attention to detail, good knowledge of their machines, excellent coordination, good time management skills, interpersonal, and communication skills. Operators need to be in good physical condition and able to work on their feet for prolonged periods of time. But in addition to all that, training and certification for operating specific machines is also often required.
Training Overview
Equipment operation 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. For example, forklift 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 requires that every 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, operator training must be composed of formal education, driving, and operating practice and evaluation to measure the skills of the trainees.
Are you looking for work as an equipment operator?
For more information about opportunities in equipment operation, connect with the recruiting team at All-Star Personnel today.
