Counterbalance lift truck Training
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration does require operators utilizing a counterbalanced forklift to have received lecture style or classroom training. They also require that a periodic refresher training as well as a supervised driving program is completed. There is no required minimum time for the supervised driving or classroom training. Moreover, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
A counterbalanced lift truck balances its load with the truck's weight. The forks on a lift truck are in a fixed position; they go up and down and do not pivot. The forks run parallel to the body of the forklift. OSHA require that individuals who would be operating counterbalanced forklifts on the job be trained on the trucks while being in the environment that they would be using them.
Classroom Training
Lecture style training or classroom training offers information about the truck that the operator will be utilizing. This training covers aspects like weight and load capacity, height, how to fuel or charge the lift truck. It includes how to gauge the time on the engine along with any forklift specific safety information like 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 driver of a forklift will have to learn to utilize the equipment while being supervised. The supervised driving needs to take place in an environment which resembles the current environment which the operator works in. This atmosphere must include the kind of terrain she will be traveling on, have the same pedestrian and vehicle traffic nearby, and similar surrounding structures nearby as well. There is no specific minimum number of hours the driver needs to drive while being supervised.