Counterbalance forklift Training
The OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that anyone operating a counterbalanced lift truck receive classroom or lecture style training. They additionally require that a periodic refresher training along with a supervised driving program is completed. There is no minimum time requirement for the supervised driving or classroom training. Also, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
The counterbalanced lift truck's weight is utilized to balance its cargo utilizing its own weight. The forklift forks are in a fixed position but can be raised and lowered to secure and transport loads. The forks run parallel to the forklift's body. 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 will be using them.
Classroom Training
Classroom training or lecture style training offers information regarding the truck which the driver would be utilizing. This training covers aspects such as weight and load capacity, height, how to charge or fuel the lift truck. It covers how to gauge the time on the engine along with any forklift specific safety information including where to stand when walking around the truck. Either written and/or oral testing is part of the classroom training. There is no minimum time requirement for the training.
Supervised Driving
The operator of a forklift would have to learn to use the machinery while being supervised. The supervised driving needs to take place in an environment which resembles the present environment that the operator works in. This atmosphere should include the kind of terrain she would be traveling on, have similar pedestrian and vehicle traffic nearby, and similar surrounding structures close by too. There is no specific minimum number of hours the driver needs to drive while being supervised.