Counterbalance forklift Training
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration does require drivers utilizing a counterbalanced forklift to have received lecture style or classroom training. They also require that a supervised driving course is finished in addition to periodic refresher training. There is no minimum time requirement for the supervised driving or classroom training. What's more, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
The weight of the counterbalance forklift is used to balance its load using its own weight. The lift truck forks are in a fixed position but could be lowered and raised to secure and transport loads. The forks run parallel to the body of the forklift. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that people who would be operating counterbalanced forklifts on the job be correctly trained on the trucks while being in the environment that they would be utilizing them.
Classroom Training
Classroom training or lecture style training offers information about the truck that the operator will be utilizing. This training covers aspects such as load and weight capacity, height, how to fuel or charge the lift truck. It covers how to gauge the time on the engine as well as any forklift specific safety information like for example where to stand when walking around the truck. Either oral and/or written testing is part of the classroom training. There is no required minimum time for the training.
Supervised Driving
The operator of a forklift will need to learn to drive the machinery while being supervised. The supervised driving needs to take place in an environment which resembles the current environment that the operator works in. This atmosphere must include the type of terrain she would be traveling on, have similar surrounding structures nearby, 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.