Counterbalance forklift Training
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA require that anyone using a counterbalanced lift truck receive classroom or lecture style training. They also require that a supervised driving course is completed as well as periodic refresher training. There is no minimum time requirement for the classroom training or supervised driving. Moreover, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
A counterbalanced lift truck balances its cargo with the truck's weight. The forks on a lift truck are in a fixed position; they go down and up and do not pivot. The forks run parallel to the body of the forklift. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that drivers who would be operating counterbalanced forklifts on the job be trained on the trucks while being in the environment which they will be utilizing them.
Classroom Training
Classroom training or lecture style training offers information regarding the truck which the operator would be utilizing. This training includes aspects like weight and load capacity, height, how to charge or fuel the lift truck. It includes how to gauge the time on the engine as well as any lift truck 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 required minimum time for the training.
Supervised Driving
The lift truck operator has to learn how to operate the counterbalanced lift truck while being supervised. The supervised driving has to take place in a place that reflects the environment the driver would be driving in. This atmosphere should include the type of terrain she would be traveling on, have the same pedestrian and vehicle traffic nearby, and similar surrounding structures close by also. There is no specific minimum number of hours the operator needs to drive while being supervised.