Counterbalance lift truck Training
The OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that anyone operating a counterbalanced forklift be given 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 classroom training or supervised driving. Additionally, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
The counterbalanced forklift's weight is utilized to balance its cargo using its own weight. The lift truck forks are in a fixed position but can be lowered and raised to secure and transport cargo. The forks run parallel to the body of the forklift. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that drivers who will be operating counterbalanced forklifts on the job be trained on the trucks while being in the kind of environment that they would be utilizing them.
Classroom Training
Training either lecture style or in a classroom would provide lift truck and operator information for the truck you would be driving. Most training would cover several aspects such as the weight and load capacity, height, how to charge or fuel the forklift. It covers how to gauge the time on the engine as well as any forklift specific safety information like for instance 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 operator needs to learn how to use the counterbalanced forklift while being supervised. The supervised driving needs to take place in an area that reflects the environment the driver would be driving in. This atmosphere should include the kind of terrain she would be traveling on, have the same vehicle and pedestrian traffic close by, and the same surrounding structures nearby also. There is no specific minimum number of hours the operator has to drive while being supervised.