Two key training issues

Logistics Management magazine says forklift-safety training programs should cover OSHA rules and regulations; basic operating principles affecting stability; the equipment's capabilities, limitations, and fueling/charging procedures; and how to conduct a daily safety inspection.

The two areas that require special attention are:

Vehicle stability. Loads should be carried only as high as is necessary to clear floor or ramp surfaces. Operators should keep the masts [down] in the 'traveling position' at all times. Stability is particularly important when driving on ramps because grades can affect the vehicle's balance. When driving up a ramp, always drive with the load first. When driving down a ramp, always back down.

Pedestrian traffic. Common sense might suggest that horns and alarms would enhance pedestrian safety when a forklift is in motion. But research doesn't necessarily bear this out. "We found no scientific evidence that alarms did or would reduce forklift-pedestrian impact accidents," says Marvin Welch, NACCO Material Handling Group’s vice president, risk management, in response to a study the company conducted.
The reason that is true is that employees get too used to hearing horns and back-up alarms. Operators should use horns intermittently, so that pedestrians pay more attention to them. The first line of defense, though, is very low-tech: Operators should always make eye contact with every pedestrian before proceeding forward or in reverse.

The evaluation process

When training employees for forklift operation, you must evaluate their progress, in the classroom and the field. Rob Vetter, technical director with the Ives Training Group, a mobile equipment training company, offers the following tips on evaluation, which originally appeared at www.Forkliftaction.com.

Classroom training -- Your evaluation of trainees’ classroom training should involve discussion and interaction, followed by a standardized test. When issuing a written test:
• Review the theory content of the training before giving the test.
• Ensure you are satisfied with the trainees’ level of understanding beforehand.
• Do not leave the room while trainees take the test.
• Collect and grade the test yourself.
• Return graded tests to trainees and review them to help trainees understand their mistakes.

In the field -- The practical evaluation process is conducted quite differently from the training process. When conducting practical evaluations in the field:
• Conduct one-on-one evaluations with each trainee.
• Issue simple tasks, one at a time.
• Move around so you can see, but stay out of the way of the trainee’s peripheral vision.
• You can speak to the trainee but do not coach, training is over.
• Always complete the evaluation regardless of early results; remember you are out there to gather information, not pass or fail.
• Stop the evaluation after six to 10 loads or if it becomes hazardous to continue.
• De-brief operators on their performance in the classroom and in the field. This is the time to clear up any concerns you may have regarding a trainee’s knowledge and/or performance.

Forklift stability

The design of the forklift is based on a stability triangle. The front axle, with its drive wheels, acts as the base of the triangle and supports the weight of the load. The sides of the stability triangle meet at the point where the forklift steers, either at a single wheel or in the middle of the steering axle on four-wheel models.

In real life, your forklift and load become less stable:

* whenever the load is raised
* when you are turning
* on slopes, either front-to-back or side-to-side
* when tilting the load forward or backward, or side-to-side
* on rough or uneven surfaces

On every carry, you need to decide if your stability will be affected by:

* the load and its weight or shape
* the route and conditions along the way
* the destination and maneuvers needed to set down the load

Inside vs. outside trainers

The OSHA requirement to provide site and equipment-specific forklift operator training puts a burden on many employers, who previously handled their training off-site with an outside trainer.

Unless an outsourced trainer could accurately reproduce the same conditions found in the employer’s workplace (load, terrain, storage and stacking of product, operating environment, etc.), the training performed would not meet the OSHA standard. Then there are the specific issues concerning the forklift: type, classification, attachments, fueling, charging, etc.

Reputable outside training providers must be familiar with the operating conditions and equipment at the site as well as any in-house policies and/or operating procedures to provide training that satisfies the OSHA requirements. Then they must insert this information into the class and ensure that everyone understands it.

Many employers choose the option of having their own people trained as instructors to conduct in-house operator training. This effectively addresses the issues of providing site and equipment-specific training because the employee who conducts the training is familiar with the machinery and working conditions that no outside trainer could match. It also addresses the issue of the trainer’s competence, which is significant in light of the OSHA standard.