Counterbalance lift truck Training
The OSHA or Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that anyone operating a counterbalanced lift truck be given classroom or lecture style training. They also require that a periodic refresher training along with a supervised driving course is finished. There is no required minimum time for the supervised driving or classroom training. What's more, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
A counterbalanced lift truck balances its load with the truck's weight. The forks on a lift truck are in a fixed position; they go up and down and do not pivot. The forks run parallel to the body of the forklift. OSHA require that drivers who will be utilizing counterbalanced forklifts on the job be properly 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 driver information for the truck you would be using. Most training will cover several aspects like the load and weight capacity, height, how to charge or fuel the lift truck. It includes how to gauge the time on the engine along with any forklift specific safety information including where to stand when walking around the truck. Either written and/or oral testing is part of the classroom training. There is no required minimum time for the training.
Supervised Driving
The operator of a lift truck will have to learn to operate the equipment while being supervised. The supervised driving has to take place in an environment that resembles the existing environment that the operator works in. This atmosphere should include the type of terrain she would be traveling on, have similar pedestrian and vehicle traffic nearby, and the same surrounding structures close by as well. There is no required minimum number of hours the driver needs to drive while being supervised.