How to Get Forklift License
By Marc Howe on Jun 27, 2010 with Comments 1
Every driver needs a license. It is illegal to drive without a license. Licenses are of different types, which are issued on the basis of your driving skills. You must be proficient enough to get a license of your type. To drive a forklift you need to have a separate license. If an accident occurs and you are found guilty of driving it without license then you will have to be in trouble with Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
If you are planning to apply for the license of forklift, you must have enough knowledge about the rules about operating the forklift. You should know about the different kinds of forklifts and their operating system. Remember you need a separate license for each type of forklift you want to operate.
Instructions
- Gain as much knowledge and information you gain about forklift as you can. For this you can attend seminars and training centers.
- The first step is to pass the written test. The test is so devised to test you abilities to response in certain complex situations while operating a forklift.
- Once you have passed the test, you will be exposed to some physical tests. You are asked to inspect the electric lift and its different components. Similarly, for gas lift you are asked to remove and fix its gas canister and check its other parts as well. Inspecting the stand up or sit down forklift is also part of this test.
- The next part is to test your proficiency in operating the forklift. You have to operate the forklift keeping in mind all the rules, i.e. when to beep horn, have a clear look of your surroundings, keep yourself slow on intersections, beep the horn and move on with caution.
- Your skills are then tested on moving the loads on ramps. You have to move the load up and down on the ramps carefully following the rules. While going upward your load must be tilted downward whereas while going downward your load must be tilted slightly upward.
- You have to move load onto the trucks and off to the trucks. Be sure that the tires of the truck have proper wheel chalks.
- The last step is to remove the loads from the racks. You must have a clear knowledge of operating the lift while removing a pallet and of loading pallets into the racks.
- Once you have passed all the tests, you will be provided with a license or certificate to operate the forklift.
Filed Under: Guides/DIY
I think apart from having license, each forklift operators must also take special trainings or programs for safety forklift operation to avoid accidents. Recently, I heard several forklift related accidents that about 25 percent leads to death.