A forklift is a piece of equipment that should only be operated by an experienced individual. Any time a company rents a forklift, it is the responsibility of the renter to make certain that there is a qualified operator on hand to safely utilize the forklift.
But how can a forklift renter tell if the person they have hired is qualified to operate a forklift? The worst thing a company can do is put an inexperienced operator in the seat of any size forklift. That is why it is important for any forklift rental customer to understand how to determine if their forklift operator is qualified or not.
Check Resume References
Whenever a company hires someone to handle important equipment, it is necessary to be vigilant with the screening process. Before allowing anyone to handle a forklift on behalf of a company, that company should check resume references to make sure that the operator’s experience is genuine.
We talked with Heubal Material Handling also added, “The company should also check on the safety record of the operator as well. There are plenty of forklift operators who have years of experience, but also have very poor safety records.”
Forklift Operators Should Be Experts In Safety Procedures
A company that utilizes forklift operators should have a safety course that is mandatory for each operator to take before they are allowed to operate an actual forklift. Only properly-trained and experienced operators who are fully up to date on all safety guidelines should be allowed to operate a forklift.
All Forklift Operators Should Be OSHA Certified
Most companies that utilize heavy machinery and forklifts require their operators to be certified by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA to operate that machinery. OSHA is a part of the federal government that deals with occupational safety. If a job location requires an OSHA-certified operator for a forklift and the operator is not certified, then the company faces a hefty fine from OSHA.
Rather than taking any chances on getting fined, a company should require that all of its forklift operators be OSHA-certified. Not only are OSHA-certified operators professionals at what they do, they are also required to stay up to date on all of the latest safety regulations associated with operating a forklift.
Why Is It Important To Have A Qualified Forklift Operator?
Accidents can happen, even when there is the most qualified operator working on a forklift. But when the operator is inexperienced or not properly certified, then the probability of an accident can increase tremendously.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 20,000 workers are injured in forklift accidents each year, with 100 of those accidents proving to be fatal. A forklift is a heavy machine that can be dangerous if it is not properly utilized. That is why having an experienced and certified operator is so important.
What Your Forklift Operator Does Not Need
Forklifts are not allowed on public roads under their own power. The only exception is when a forklift has to cross the road to move materials from one site to another. Otherwise, driving a forklift on a public road is illegal. That is why forklift rental companies must deliver forklifts to their customers on the backs of flatbed trucks, no matter how close the customer may be to the forklift rental location.
Since a forklift is not allowed on the open road, it is not necessary for a forklift operator to have any form of commercial or standard driver’s license. The fact that a forklift driver has a driver’s license does not make that forklift driver any more qualified to operate a forklift than an operator who does not have a license.
It is extremely important for companies that rent forklifts to understand what it takes to be a safe and reliable forklift operator. Prior to putting an operator behind the wheel of a forklift, a company must do a complete screening process to make sure that the operator they are using is safe and properly certified.
