Skills of a Stand Up Forklift Driver
The forklift or powered industrial truck is a heavy duty equipment found in almost every factory and warehouse. These tough and reliable equipment could raise and transport heavy items that are not able to lift by hand. There is some specific training complete so as to be able to utilize a forklift safely. Most employers prefer a high school degree. As the forklift is a heavy piece of machine it could be dangerous if not properly handled, thus, the operator's skills are very necessary.
Good Judgment
The forklift operator has to have good judgment to be able to estimate how much a load weighs. They need to be able to judge the height and width of the cargo so as to ensure that it would fit in a designed area. It is important to have good judgement to be able to negotiate tight turns and move the forklift around obstacles 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. Like for example, if a stack of objects in a pallet or load is off balance and about to fall, the driver has to be able to respond quickly and try to fix the issue. To be able to avoid accidents, a high level of concentration is needed when operating and working in the vicinity of these equipment.
Adaptability
Amongst the top skills of a forklift operator is that they need to be adaptable to the work environment. This can be continually changing depending on the task. Some forklift tasks need operators to be exposed to damaging materials, dangerous machines, loud noises, fumes or odors. Work atmospheres and warehouses could be really busy places. The operator of the forklift should be able to keep a cool head and an eye toward safety overall. Moreover, many forklift tasks require being outdoors to unload goods or transport things; therefore, the operator should be ready at the possibility of working in bad weather.
Machinery Maintenance
Drivers should be able to follow instructions and understand how heavy equipment works. Operators should learn how to double check an Occupational Safety and Health Administration safety checklist and can make sure that the lights, the steering, the horn, the forks and the brakes, along with other parts are working at an optimal level.
Forklift truck drivers need to also understand how to correctly maintain the vehicles and need to know when something is not working properly. An important part of lift truck truck training is also being able to explain to mechanics about machinery issues.