Counterbalance forklift Training
The OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that anyone using a counterbalanced lift truck receive lecture style or classroom training. They additionally require that a supervised driving course is completed along with periodic refresher training. There is no required minimum time for the classroom training or supervised driving. In addition, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
The weight of the counterbalance forklift is utilized to balance its load utilizing its own weight. The lift truck forks are in a fixed position but could be lowered and raised to secure and move cargo. The forks run parallel to the forklift's body. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that people who would be operating counterbalanced forklifts on the job be trained on the trucks while being in the kind of environment which they would be using them.
Classroom Training
Training either lecture style or in a classroom would offer lift truck and driver information for the truck you would be driving. Most training will include several aspects like the load and weight capacity, height, how to fuel or charge the lift truck. It covers how to gauge the time on the engine along with 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 minimum time requirement for the training.
Supervised Driving
The driver of a lift truck will have to learn to operate the machine while being supervised. The supervised driving needs to take place in an environment that resembles the current environment which the operator works in. This atmosphere must include the type of terrain she would be traveling on, have the same vehicle and pedestrian traffic nearby, and similar surrounding structures nearby as well. There is no required minimum number of hours the driver has to drive while being supervised.