21 FEB, 2022|600SA

Counterbalance forklift training

Most workplace injuries and property damage can be attributed to a lack of or inadequate training which is why the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) requires that all forklift operators be trained and licensed appropriately and regularly. Implementing a comprehensive forklift safety training program is the most effective way for operations managers to ensure a safe working environment for all parties.

The OSHA requires that forklift operators be over 18 years old and recertified every 3 years and gives employers the responsibility of providing the forklift operators with the necessary training. Finding the right Transport Education and Training Authority (TETA) to suit your business training needs can be a challenge but at 600SA you can gain access to our accredited Training Academy at your convenience.

Why 600SA Counterbalance forklift training?

Our counterbalance forklift training courses are structured to suit your drivers’ needs, providing novice training for candidates with no previous training or experience and refresher courses for a certificate or license renewal. The training courses can be hosted either on-site at your premises, which is recommended to familiarize the forklift drivers with your forklifts, off-site, virtual instructor-led training, and e-learning.

Our training courses provide a balanced curriculum combining theoretical classroom training, and hands-on practical training to ensure your forklift drivers are equipped to perform their duties safely and efficiently. Our high-quality training imparts soft skills, product and technical aptitudes and training applicable to warehousing and industrial equipment and processes irrespective of brand.

Forklift training requirements

TETA Qualification conditions to be met prior to training

• Counterbalance forklift driver trainees must be 18 years or older.
• Driving trainees’ physical and psychological health should be verified through the provision of a doctor or occupational health practitioner’s certificate.
• An Optometry certificate verifying the trainee’s visual capability, both day and night, must also be provided.
• An authentic copy of the trainee’s ID documents must be provided.
• If the Trainee has previously obtained a certificate, whether current or expired, a copy should also be made available.

Onsite training facilities and course requirements

The client/ employer should provide the following for the duration of the training:

• A lecture room,
• Suitable practical training facilities,
• Relevant counterbalance forklift,
• Suitable testing area, pallets, and any assistance necessary to lay out the test track.

Counterbalance Forklift Training Topics

At 600SA, Our Training Academy provides comprehensive training for F1 to F3 Counterbalance forklift trucks. With topics including the following:

Counterbalance forklift-related training

• Operating instructions, warnings, and precautions.
• Truck controls and instrumentation.
• Engine or motor operation.
• Steering and manoeuvring.
• Visibility (including restrictions due to loading).
• Fork and attachment adaptation, operation, and use limitations.
• Vehicle capacity and stability.
• Any vehicle inspection and maintenance that the operator will be required to perform.
• Refuelling and/or charging and recharging batteries.
• Operating limitations.

Workplace and environment-related training:

• Surface conditions.
• Composition of loads to be carried and load stability.
• Load manipulation, stacking, and unstacking.
• Pedestrian traffic.
• Narrow aisles and other restricted places where the vehicle will be operated.
• Hazardous (classified) locations where the vehicle will be operated.
• Ramps and other sloped surfaces could affect the vehicle’s stability.

Forklift training benefits

Forklift driver training decreases the risk of accidents caused by incompetence and inexperience with the added benefit of increased productivity. Fewer accidents translate into a safer working environment, which increases confidence, decreases stress, and thereby improves productivity. This indirectly decreases your costs as fewer accidents lead to fewer pay-outs and certified safety training can also decrease your insurance premiums as your accident risk decreases.

To find out more on how our counterbalance forklift driver training can benefit your operations contact us today. Alternatively, read our article that answers the 14 most frequently answered questions relating to forklift training.