Hired Some New Forklift Operators With No Training? 2 Ways You Can Help Them

7 July 2016
 Categories: Industrial & Manufacturing, Blog


If you have hired some new forklift operators that have little or no training, it is important that they learn how to drive one correctly for their and your other employees' safety. One way to do this is to give the employees the proper training. Below are two ways that should help them get started so they can get to work for you.

Training

According to the United States Department of Labor, you must provide any employee that will be driving a forklift or other type of mobile power-propelled truck the proper training before they can do their job. This training program should cover how to safely use the forklift, the types of forklifts you have, as well as the possible hazards they may find in your workplace. This will allow them to do their job safely and effectively.

This training can be provided by anyone that has a certificate or degree on using these types of vehicles. This could be you or someone else in your company. If you do not want to provide the training on your own, your employees can get training from local vocational schools or private consultants. There are also study materials available online to help them get ready for this training.

Forklift Simulator

Along with the proper training, there are forklift simulators that can be used to help your employees. This type of training is very beneficial because it will be just like they were driving the actual forklift. This makes this training completely safe without having the stress of them driving a forklift when they are not ready.

There is forklift simulator software that is used for this training. This software creates a 3D model of the forklift. The employee will wear a special headset that will allow them to actually feel like they are sitting on and driving the forklift. The software will alert them if they do something wrong and if they run into something.

You should understand that this type of training can never take the place of driving an actual forklift, but it is a great way to get them started. You can purchase this software yourself to use at your company, or you may be able to find a company in your area that offers this type of training.

Keep your forklifts in good shape by giving them the proper maintenance. This includes making sure the batteries stay charged, as well as cleaning and checking the internal parts. That way they will be ready for your employees to drive once they finish their training.


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