Counterbalance forklift Training
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA require that anyone utilizing a counterbalanced lift truck be given classroom or lecture style training. They also require that a periodic refresher training along with a supervised driving course is completed. There is no minimum time requirement for the classroom training or supervised driving. As well, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
A counterbalanced lift truck balances its load utilizing the truck's weight. The forks on a lift truck are in a fixed position; they go down and up and do not turn. The forks run parallel to the forklift's body. OSHA require that individuals who would be using counterbalanced forklifts on the job be trained on the trucks while being in the kind of environment which they will be utilizing 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 load and weight capacity, height, how to charge or fuel the forklift. It covers 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 written and/or oral testing is part of the classroom training. There is no minimum time requirement for the training.
Supervised Driving
The driver of a lift truck will need to learn to drive the machinery while being supervised. The supervised driving has to take place in an environment that resembles the current environment which the operator works in. This atmosphere must include the type of terrain she would be traveling on, have similar pedestrian and vehicle traffic close by, and the same surrounding structures nearby as well. There is no required minimum number of hours the operator needs to drive while being supervised.