Proper training in this Industry is a must!!

Beats the **** out of me! My TTT program is 5 days, and that is on one class of lift truck. People balk at that and tell me they can get it done in only one day. Yeah, right!

There are trainers here in town who train on lift trucks that even they do not know how to operate the trucks themselves. There are others who train staff on lift trucks that are not even present when the testing is happening, and many trainers do not even watch them drive. Open book tests are the norm and if you don't have the answer, the instructor will gladly provide it for you. And some of the organizations are government funded entities.

Now can you see where I am coming from and my frustration? I should be a multimillionaire and in the Hall of Fame for Forklift Trainers/Consultants for my programs, materials and strict codes!

Wait til you read my next editorial in the June column Safety 1st.

dan see where your comming from but over here to be an instructor is a two week intensive course how you could train to be an instructor in one day is laughable.

OHSA does not accredit. They're a little like the IRS: they don't approve in advance, but they do audit. Check-out osha.gov, word search "powered industrial truckls" or CFR 1910.178. Section L has training and trainer requirements. They have added a lot of specific content with the 1999 Final Rule code revisions.

ZZ,

The problem here is that there is no requirement to be considered a forklift training instructor, school or company, at least here in Canada, and I presume the States. Any pea brain can open up shop and start to train. Their credentials are not studied, and believe you me, there are lots of idiots getting away with this. So what we are saying, ZZ, is that there are individuals out there who call themselves trainers. They then put on a TTT course which lasts about a day. Yes, a day! Now the students consider themselves trainers and go off and train people in their respective companies to be competent operators. Here are the controls. This is what they do. Now you go try it....

Get my drift, now?

Roadrat no offence taken everyone has their own point of view you say what you see same with dan.To be an in house trainer you still have to go on an Instuctors course that is registared for F.L.T training.The two main compannies for training F.L.T drivers in the U.K are R.T.I.T.B and I.T.S.S.A.R. So although i`m paid by my company when i am training i`m training on behalf of I.T.S.S.A.R

On my training course there where Instuctors that where going on there own i.e self employed they could hardly drive a truck themselves when im not training im driving so im allways keeping my hand in to the job that is the benifit of being a onsite instructor.

Good debate keep it going.....

Response to Randall s: If you noticed, a 1 minute "training" session solved the problem. He did not know that what he was doing was dangerous, but now he does.

It was not a matter of being lazy, actually he thought he was saving time by "Quickshooting" his tank so he could get trailers loaded. Had he known better or had been properly "Trained" he would have known, also he must be a wise person, because he thanked me for the info---An IDIOT would have told me to mind my own business!!

Proper Training and Education SAVES LIVES!! BY THE WAY, dan m, I appreciate your passion for Saftey, I notice at times you take a bunch of heat for it, but don't stop.

Agree with Randall s however, many of the trainers providing the TTT are incompetent themselves so how can they train others to train properly. Remember, many companies' primary concern is the cost of the training, and not the qulaity of the program or trainer. So, if the quality of the training to the supervisors is poor, then the domino affect works its way in and the staff end up getting a subpar program from their in-house trainer.

TO ALL "INHOUSE TRAINERS" THAT HAVE RESPONDED TO MY LAST POST

"PLEASE ACCEPT MY HUMBLEST APPOLOGIES,
THE STATEMENT I MADE CONCERNING IN HOUSE TRAINERS,
WAS SUPPOSED TO SAY "THEIR" INHOUSE" SAFTEY PEOPLE..... MEANING THE TRAINERS AT THIS SPECIFIC FACILITY.

I IN NO WAY MEANT "ALL INHOUSE TRAINERS", I SHOULD HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB AT PREVIEWING MY POST BEFORE SUBMITTING IT.

AGAIN, MY APPOLOGIES TO ALL WHO WERE OFFENDED,

Sincerely, roadrat

I believe you can not tar all in-house trainers with the same brush. There are a many "professional Trainers" that would fall into the same description that you have given in-house trainers. I personaly know several companies that I would stack thier in-house trainer up against any out-house trainer that you pick.
The wole basis of training boils down to the person that is picked starts with a deep commitment to safety, is given the tools to work with and has the backing of the organization.
It truly does not matter if you are an in-house trainer or an out-house trainer when the house realy does not care about safety both types of Trainers are destined to fail.

I'll I am saying is that I have yet to meet an in-house trainer that prepares and puts on a meaningful course. Usually, they show a film and describe the controls, have them drive for a minute, and they are off to the races. That has been my experience however you may be quite the opposite.

This is what I see and this is what I am told.

Sorry dont agree with all that im a in house trainer and i train to ITSSAR standards which is a registered organisation that deals with F.L.T training.Keeping to the standards you cover yourself and also cover the company.Any person that wants to forget what he/she has been taught at a later date to make things quicker or easier that is down to them please dont aim your crititism at the trainer unless you know the facts.I`m sure there are people that you have trained dan that at this very moment are breaking all the rules. I`m affraid we dont have a crystal ball we cant see into the future as long as i train by the book and all relevant training paper work is signed and theory and practicle tests have been signed Thats all i can look to.
As for "i wasnt shown how to do that" think he would say that would`nt he...

Is it just me? Is it just in Ottawa? Is it just in Canada? Or is this a worldwide conspiracy on behalf of the governments to take such a lacksadaisial attitude towards safety in the workplace? The crap that continually goes on, day after day, is sickening. When are these public officials going to get off their duffs and enforce the laws, not only once there has been an incident, but as a preventitive measure?

And secondly, on-line training, CD Rom courses, and train the trainers (in-house training) should all be banned and outlawed. The people training others are purchasing agents, supervisors, or anyone with an IQ over 40, who doesn't have the time, or inclination, to have the staff trained properly, or efffectively. I have yet to meet an in-house trainer who knows what, and how to teach others. And these idiotic computer based programs, which do not encompass, or address, the facility in question, should all be burnt in ****.

My rant!

Hi Dan

Thanks for answering my RHATORICAL question for any of our readers that are not familiar with the term or use of spit valve.

To dan m, I can imagine what you are thinking, How could this be over looked. It is "scarey" to me some things that operators do, but it goes back to Proper Training by Qualified Trainers.

"In House" Saftey people may be good on other issues but some lack the expertese and qualifications that a "dedicated" forklift Saftey Trainer will have.

I AM MODIFYING THIS POST: IT WAS SUPPOSE TO SAY : Their "In House Saftey people......." MY-BAD"

I HAVE POSTED AN APPOLOGY