Skills of a Stand Up Forklift Driver
A powered industrial truck or a forklift is a piece of heavy machinery found in factories and in warehouses. They are used to move and transport bulk things that are too heavy to carry or lift by hand. There is some particular training complete in order to be able to operate a forklift safely. Most employers prefer a high school degree. Since the forklift is a heavy piece of equipment it can be dangerous if not handled properly, hence, the skills of the operator are extremely necessary.
Good Judgment
The forklift driver needs to have good judgment to be able to estimate the weight of a load. They need to be able to judge the width and height of the cargo so as to ensure that it will fit in a designed area. It is very essential 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 equipment in reverse.
Reflexes and Concentration
Driver skills which come in handy are good hand-eye coordination and quick reflexes. For instance, if a stack of items in a load or a pallet is off balance and about to fall, the operator needs to be able to quickly respond and try to fix the issue. In order to prevent accidents, a high level of concentration is needed when operating and working near these equipment.
Adaptability
One of the top skills of a forklift driver is that they have to be adaptable to the work environment. This could be continually changing depending on the task. Several forklift tasks need operators to be exposed to dangerous machinery, harmful materials, fumes, odors or loud noises. Warehouses and work atmosphere can be busy places. The operator of the forklift must be able to keep a cool head and an eye toward safety overall. In addition, numerous forklift tasks require being outdoors to unload merchandise or move things; hence, the driver must be ready at the likelihood of working in poor weather conditions.
Machine Maintenance
Forklift operators have to understand how heavy mobile machine works and need to be able and willing to follow instructions. Operators must learn how to double check an Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety checklist and be able to make sure that the lights, the steering, the horn, the forks and the brakes, along with other parts are working at an optimal level.
The operator of the forklift must also be able to properly maintain the lift truck and need to know when something is not functioning correctly. An essential part of lift truck truck training is also being able to explain to mechanics about machine issues.