Counterbalance forklift Training
The OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that anyone operating a counterbalanced forklift receive classroom or lecture style training. They also require that a supervised driving course is finished in addition to periodic refresher training. There is no required minimum time for the supervised driving or classroom training. As well, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
A counterbalanced lift truck balances its load using the weight of the truck. 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 individuals who will be utilizing counterbalanced forklifts on the job be correctly trained on the trucks while being in the environment that they would be using them.
Classroom Training
Training either in a classroom or lecture style would provide lift truck and driver information for the truck you would be using. Most training will cover certain aspects like the 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 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 minimum time requirement for the training.
Supervised Driving
The forklift operator has to learn how to drive the counterbalanced lift truck while being supervised. The supervised driving has to take place in a place which reflects the environment the operator will be driving in. This atmosphere should include the kind of terrain she would be traveling on, have similar surrounding structures close by, and the same vehicle and pedestrian traffic close by too. There is no required minimum number of hours the driver has to drive while being supervised.