Dear Craig,

In response to your questions:

"When you work with experienced operators, do you classify that as refresher training? How long would you say that takes on the average? And the 5% new operators is just training?"

...the short answers are,

YES;

The time depends on the task behavior not yet mastered ; and

New operators get both instruction AND Tested.

New operators usually take significantly more time than experienced operators for the training. This can take at least several days, and can take as much as a month to get them ready to take and pass the full test. Actual timing for a newbie depends on various influences on instructional activities, such as equipment availability, interference from competing task requirements, scheduling, entry-level skill and knowledge of the specific industrial environment, availability of practice materials, etc.

Because the LIFTOR tests are custom designed for both task safety AND speed, everyone, regardless of their skills at entry, emerge as master performers.

This level of job competence (and the required economics to justify it) is NOT for those employers who are satisfied with simple OSHA compliance.

Feel free to contact me for discussion at LIFTOR DOT com.

Best wishes,

Joe Monaco
Founder and CEO
LIFTOR (Lift Truck Operating Resources). com

Craig,
Welcome to the arena! While you can put experienced operators and new operators in the same class, I always let experience do some of the talking. The experienced guys talk about their past and "craziest" moments, and the new people usually have the jaw dropping experience.
I try to pull them all back together by reminding them that new operators can start out by learning good habits, while those experienced operators will have to forget the bad ones (hands on the outside of the cage, lifting/lowering while driving).
This makes floor evaluations not so challenging. After the class you remind the experienced guys that they need to learn out the bad habits. New people take longer to evaluate based on comfort of the equipment. Sometimes it takes longer than you would expect, but then it's time for a manager or supervisor to evaluate the training time. Some people just take longer.
I use the same evaluation for new and old alike. I point out bad habits to improve on, and just train the new people until they are done. Depending on how difficult the equipment is (average learing time), and the difficulty of the environment.

If you need a copy of any materials to use or want more information please feel free to contact me.

Mark Abraham
[email address removed]

Thanks for the response Joe! When you work with experienced operators, do you classify that as refresher training? How long would you say that takes on the average? And the 5% new operators is just training?

I ask because our training has been the same whether its a new operator or an experienced one. We've always put them through the same presentation, and hands on test. The whole point of my asking these questions is because I understand the need the change how I do things. Your input is always appreciated!

My practice is to first determine if I am working with experienced operator/employees (95% of the time) or those who have little-to-no experience (5% of the time) with the make and model of the forklift as well as the required job tasks. Knowing something about operator capability makes a difference in how much time and to what detail hands on training will require.

Secondly, For each task required of the employer, and by forklift make and model, I describe it in detail, with operator's help. Especially important is that the description states, at each step in the task, a) the hazard the operator needs to recognize, and b)the response needed to safely move to the next step...until the entire task is complete.

Thirdly, I give the above written description, with a brief discussion, to the operator so they (fully experienced operators) can practice all the steps in each task that they normally do for the job, anyway. If not an experienced operator, I coach them in person with close line-of-sight supervision until they are able to perform the task with zero errors at least three times in a row. Then, I direct them to practice while I'm usually doing something else in the building; making myself available for questions or final "task-practice" checkoff.

Finally, the on-truck test is a high level simulation of the actual job that was described above. Both experienced and new operators have to pass ALL the criteria for the same test of their job/tasks to earn their certification card. (Also note: time-sensitive on-job tasks have speed criteria assigned to them, and this is included in the test criteria)

I do NOT sit operators in a classroom for discussion or watching of the typical 10-20 minute media presentation. Nor do they have to take any kind of multiple choice, fill-in, or true/false pencil-and-paper type test (or the computer version of them). These methods of instruction have almost zero affect on incidence of injury, have NO basis in any forklift-specific research, and contrary to popular opinion, are NOT required by OSHA rules)

There are other things I do, but this is an outline for what I do for what is generally known as "hands-on". [In the USA, this complies with related OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178 rules.]

Best wishes as a new instructor,

Joe Monaco
Founder and CEO
LIFTOR (Lift Truck Operating Resources). com

Stacking at different heights is a good idea as well. I usually just have them work from one loading level. I appreciate your input!

Hi Craig

Well it sounds like you are making the best out of the equipment you have available to you. The course that I try to construct is a chicane which they have to drive through 4 times and to stack and de-stack a load at ground level/eye level and high level. But some times you have to think outside of the book and adapt the course to the equipment you have available.

I work for a Bobcat dealer but we have a training department that we do training for Bobcat equipment, manlifts, and forklifts. My training program was created by another trainer at a separate Bobcat dealer. If you are familiar with the "5 Step Approach to Operator Safety" by JLG... that is the structure of the presentation. 1. Walk Around Check 2.Functions Check 3.Work-Site Hazard Assessment 4.Operator Safety 5.Proper Shutdown.

After the presentation and written test I take the class outside we do a full walk around of the forklift. We talk about what to check over before operation. After the walk around, I conduct a check of the functions to ensure their operation.

Next the students operate on their own with my direct supervision. I don't have a set course, it depends if I'm at my facility or doing on on-site training. I try to construct the course to simulate the basic movements of the forklift. Straight travel, left turn, right turn, placing the load, picking the load back up, and reverse travel through the course to the starting location. The course is not too long, and they only need to complete it once to pass. I have read other posts on this site that require operators to pass through several courses before they pass. I think I will implement that into my own. I know my hands-on evaluation is quite easy and I'm looking to more ideas to make it more challenging.

Your input is greatly appreciated!

Hi Craig what practicle training are you giving you trainees at the moment, are you an in house Instructor and what practicle test do you put your trainees through at the moment...