Skills of a Stand Up Forklift Driver
The forklift or powered industrial truck is a heavy duty machine found in almost every factory and warehouse. These tough and reliable machinery can raise and transport heavy things that are not able to lift manually. There is some specific training complete so as to be able to utilize a forklift safely. Nearly all employers prefer a degree in high school. As the forklift is a heavy piece of machine it can be dangerous if not handled properly, thus, the operator's skills are extremely necessary.
Good Judgment
The forklift driver has to have good judgment in order to estimate the weight of a load. They have to be able to judge the width and height of the load in order to ensure that it would fit in a designed area. It is very important to have proper judgement to be able to move the lift truck around obstacles and negotiate tight turns in order to be able to capably drive the machine in reverse.
Concentration and Reflexes
Necessary lift truck operator skills include excellent hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes. For instance, if a stack of things in a pallet or load is off balance and about to fall, the operator needs to be able to quickly respond and try to fix the problem. To be able to avoid mishaps, a high level of concentration is needed when using and working near these machines.
Adaptability
Amongst the top skills of a lift truck driver is that they have to be adaptable to the work surroundings. This could be continually changing depending on the task. Some forklift tasks require drivers to be exposed to dangerous machines, damaging materials, odors, loud noises or fumes. Warehouses and work surroundings could be busy places. The driver of the forklift should be able to keep a cool head and an eye toward safety in general. Furthermore, a lot of forklift jobs require being outdoors to unload merchandise or move items; therefore, the operator must be prepared at the likelihood of working in poor weather conditions.
Equipment Maintenance
Forklift operators have to understand how heavy mobile equipment works and have to be able and willing to follow instructions. Drivers must learn how to double check an Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety checklist and be able to make sure that the horn, the lights, the steering, the forks and the brakes, along with other parts are working at an optimal level.
Forklift truck drivers need to also understand how to properly maintain the vehicles and have to know when something is not functioning properly. An important part of forklift truck training is also being able to explain to mechanics about machine issues.