Skills of a Stand Up Forklift Driver
A forklift or a powered industrial truck is a piece of heavy machinery found in factories and in warehouses. They are utilized to move and transport bulk items that are too heavy to carry or lift manually. There is some specific training complete in order to be able to safely use a forklift. Most employers prefer a high school degree. Because the forklift is a heavy piece of equipment it could be dangerous if not correctly handled, thus, the driver's skills are very important.
Good Judgment
The forklift operator has to have good judgment so as to estimate the weight of a load. They need to be able to judge the height and width of the cargo so as to ensure that it will fit in a designed area. It is vital to have good judgement in order to negotiate tight turns and move the forklift around obstacles in order to be able to capably drive the machine in reverse.
Reflexes and Concentration
Required lift truck skills skills consist of quick reflexes and excellent hand-eye coordination. Like for example, if a stack of objects in a load or a pallet is off balance and about to fall, the operator should be able to quickly respond and try to rectify the issue. In order to prevent mishaps, a high level of concentration is required when utilizing and working near these equipment.
Adaptability
Depending upon the task, amongst the top skills of a forklift driver is to be able to adapt to their specific work setting. Depending upon every task, this may change on a continuous basis. Several forklift tasks require drivers to be exposed to damaging materials, dangerous machines, loud noises, fumes or odors. Work surroundings and warehouses could be busy places. The driver of the forklift must be able to keep an eye toward safety and a cool head in general. Moreover, a lot of forklift tasks require being outdoors to transport things or unload goods; thus, the driver must be prepared at the likelihood of working in poor weather conditions.
Machinery Maintenance
Operators must be able to follow instructions and understand how heavy machine works. Operators must learn how to double check an OSHA safety checklist and could ensure that the steering, the horn, the lights, the forks and the brakes, along with other parts are working at an optimal level.
Forklift truck operators have to also understand how to correctly maintain the vehicles and have to know when something is not working properly. An important part of lift truck truck training is also being able to explain machinery issues to mechanics.