Skills of a Stand Up Forklift Driver
A powered industrial truck or a forklift is a piece of heavy equipment found in factories and in warehouses. They are utilized to transport and move bulk items that are too heavy to lift or carry by hand. There is some particular training complete in order to be able to safely use a forklift. Nearly all employers prefer a high school degree. As the forklift is a heavy piece of machinery it can be dangerous if not correctly handled, thus, the driver's skills are extremely necessary.
Good Judgment
In order to estimate the weight of a load, the forklift driver has to have good judgement, able to judge both the height and weight of the load. Knowing the particulars will help to guarantee that the forklift and load will fit it designed area. It is essential to have good judgement to be able to move the forklift around obstacles and negotiate tight turns in order to be able to competently drive the machine in reverse.
Reflexes and Concentration
Operator skills which come in handy are quick reflexes and good hand-eye coordination. For instance, if a stack of items in a load or a pallet is off balance and about to fall, the driver needs to be able to quickly respond and try to rectify the problem. To be able to prevent mishaps, a high level of concentration is required when operating and working near these machines.
Adaptability
Amongst the top skills of a lift truck driver is that they need to be adaptable to the work environment. This can be continually changing depending on the job. Some forklift jobs require drivers to be exposed to harmful materials, dangerous machines, loud noises, fumes or odors. Warehouses and work atmosphere can be busy places. The forklift operator should be able to keep an eye toward safety and a cool head in general. Furthermore, lots of forklift tasks require being outdoors to unload merchandise or transport items; thus, the operator must be prepared at the likelihood of working in bad weather conditions.
Equipment Maintenance
Forklift drivers need to understand how heavy mobile machine works and need to be able and willing to follow directions. Drivers need to learn how to double check an Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety checklist and can make certain that the lights, the steering, the horn, the forks and the brakes, along with other components are working at an optimal level.
The driver of the lift truck must also be able to correctly maintain the lift truck and need to know when something is not functioning correctly. An important part of forklift truck training is also being able to explain machine problems to mechanics.