Counterbalance lift truck Training
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA require that anyone utilizing a counterbalanced lift truck be given 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. Additionally, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
The counterbalanced lift truck's weight is used to balance its cargo using its own weight. The forklift forks are in a fixed position but can 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 individuals who would be using counterbalanced forklifts on the job be properly trained on the trucks while being in the kind of environment which they will be utilizing them.
Classroom Training
Training either lecture style or in a classroom will provide forklift and operator information for the truck you will be utilizing. Most training would cover several aspects such as the weight and load capacity, height, how to fuel or charge the lift truck. It covers how to gauge the time on the engine as well as any lift truck specific safety information like 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 lift truck would 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 which the driver works in. This atmosphere should include the type of terrain she would be traveling on, have similar pedestrian and vehicle traffic close by, and similar surrounding structures close by as well. There is no required minimum number of hours the driver has to drive while being supervised.