The forklift is a dangerous equipment. The newest data have proven that more than 100 workers are killed in some kind of lift truck mishap. 95,000 more workers are injured on the job on a yearly basis as well, using these heavy pieces of industrial machinery.
Most fatalities have been because of lift truck turnovers. Being crushed between the lift truck and another surface is the next highest percentage of fatalities. The third highest cause of fatality is being struck by the forklift itself and last but not least, getting hit from falling objects due to a dropped load is the last statistic. Each fatality or injury is quite awful and gruesome due to the immense weight and capability of these machinery.
Who Should Perform the Training?
All assessment and teaching has to be trained by people who have the right training, experience and knowledge to train powered industrial truck operators the right skills and then to evaluate their competence after that. Several examples of a skilled trainer consist of a person who has a certificate, professional standing or specialized degree in their possession, or who has extensive training, experience and knowledge using lift trucks. A good candidate has lots of experience and has demonstrated the ability to evaluate and train industrial truck operators.
If the employer does not wish to perform the training himself, there are numerous resources accessible for them to select from. For example, they can employ in local health and safety organizations, like the National Safety Council local chapters, truck manufacturers, or private teaching consultants who specialize in powered industrial trucks. There are often local trade and vocational schools that will be happy to offer some great resources.
The World Wide Web is full of sites dedicated to the safety of forklifts. There are also private companies which offer lift truck safety training services, such as written programs and videos. The majority of safety videos can either be rented or leased or purchased. One really vital factor to take into account is that simply by showing your workers a series of videos or a video about lift truck safety, does not meet the full requirements of the OSHA standard. Subsequent training and knowledge of the new operators has to be conveyed and evaluated by a specific way so as to ensure the full training has been obtained.
When the operator has successfully passed all of the necessary training, a lift truck license will be issued and they will legally be able to operate a lift truck. Valid lift truck licenses are a requirement by organizations to be able to keep everyone at the workplace as safe as possible.