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