Counterbalance forklift Training
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration does require drivers utilizing a counterbalanced lift truck to have received lecture style or classroom training. They additionally require that a supervised driving course is completed in addition to periodic refresher training. There is no required minimum time for the supervised driving or classroom training. Moreover, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
A counterbalanced forklift balances its load with the truck's weight. The forks on a lift truck are in a fixed position; they go up and down and do not pivot. The forks run parallel to the body of the forklift. OSHA require that drivers who would be using counterbalanced forklifts on the job be trained on the trucks while being in the kind of setting that they would be using them.
Classroom Training
Classroom training or lecture style training provides information regarding the truck which the operator will be driving. This training covers aspects like weight and load capacity, height, how to fuel or charge the lift truck. It includes how to gauge the time on the engine as well as any lift truck specific safety information including where to stand when walking around the truck. Either written and/or oral testing is part of the classroom training. There is no minimum time requirement for the training.
Supervised Driving
The lift truck driver has to learn how to use the counterbalanced lift truck while being supervised. The supervised driving has to take place in a place which reflects the environment the operator will be driving in. This atmosphere must include the kind of terrain she will be traveling on, have similar surrounding structures close by, and similar pedestrian and vehicle traffic close by too. There is no required minimum number of hours the operator has to drive while being supervised.