It occurs to me that the practice of forklift operator training has been S-L-O-W-L-Y shifting over the last decade. Maybe we should start speeding-up our contribution.

The way I see it, the more effective practices for keeping operators and coworkers safe have started to evolve from a machine-centric (teach operators how to use the functions of the forklift) to a more comprehensive "job-specific" (teach operators how to accomplish their specific job tasks that require using a forklift safely AND productively). This shift in forklift-related training practices is certainly not complete. Nor is it uniform throughout the various industries, or even from one company location to another. In the United States, and other countries, government regulations and other standards groups reflect and encourage the change in orientation. For example, in addition to truck related topics, OSHA requires "workplace related topics" be taught in its 1910.178(l) standard. The ANSI/ITSDF B56.1 consensus standard has very similar "workplace-specific language. Also, the ANSI Z490.1(2009) standard, "Criteria for Accepted Practices in Safety, Health, and Environmental Training" offers a complete blueprint for developing training based upon a job/task analysis. In fact, several professional associations, many private companies, the US Navy, Army, and the Coast Guard have adopted a more comprehensive and systematic "job accomplishment approach" to training...that goes well beyond teaching equipment-related topics.

Even in this forum, it is a matter of record that credible and respected instructors have lamented the fact that the many people who hire them are NOT usually willing to pay for the work it takes to train operators much beyond the most basic of safe forklift operating skills necessary for achieving regulatory compliance. Too, I suspect that some of the most knowledgeable and skilled forklift instructors are not prepared to perform the kind of comprehensive workplace-specific analysis that would result in operators who not only master their forklifts but master the job requirements set forth by their employers for both precision and productivity (speed). It is generally assumed that those people operating forklifts will be trained on-the-job for their workplace specific duties. Some are. Regrettably (speaking as an instructor) most receive little-to-no on-job training and are left to their own resourcefulness for on-job "learning".

So, as an industry, I think we need to keep what is valuable about training operators on the forklift-specific functions and somehow encourage all employers to integrate this into their workplace-specific requirements for both safety and productivity. If that integration can be made, everyone will benefit from the obvious advantages. Especially, operators will accomplish "mastery" of their jobs. Managers will have both safe AND productive employees, and forklift instructors will have contributed to a worthy outcome...hopefully by speeding-up the S-L-O-W-L-Y shifting part.

Best wishes,

Joe-m
LIFTORdotCOM