Counterbalance lift truck Training
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA require that anybody operating a counterbalanced forklift be given classroom or lecture style training. They additionally require that a supervised driving course is completed along with periodic refresher training. There is no minimum time requirement for the supervised driving or classroom training. As well, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
A counterbalanced forklift balances its cargo 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 forklift's body. OSHA require that individuals who will be using counterbalanced forklifts on the job be trained on the trucks while being in the kind of environment that they will be utilizing them.
Classroom Training
Lecture style training or classroom training offers information about the truck which the operator will be utilizing. This training includes aspects such as weight and load capacity, height, how to charge or fuel the lift truck. It covers how to gauge the time on the engine in addition to any forklift specific safety information including 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 driver of a forklift will have to learn to operate the machine while being supervised. The supervised driving needs to take place in an environment that resembles the present environment that the operator works in. This atmosphere should include the kind of terrain she would be traveling on, have similar surrounding structures close by, and similar vehicle and pedestrian traffic nearby too. There is no specific minimum number of hours the operator has to drive while being supervised.