Pick the Right Type and Provider of Forklift Training

By: Brian Colburn, Contributor

© Lisa F. Young – stock.adobe.com
Hands-on evaluations must be done at your site and on your equipment to be compliant.

Times are tough and companies are looking to do more with less. Many are desperate to save money, however they can. Saving money can be a great thing, but when quality or safety is compromised, it can cost more than it saves. More and more companies are throwing their “hat in the ring” to offer forklift operator and trainer training. Besides the normal providers, such as forklift dealers and rental companies, we are seeing uniform companies, propane suppliers, workers comp providers, internet training companies and others offering training. To use an analogy, if you were looking for a good buy on a used car, it would help to have a friend in the business, someone who could guide you through the process and help you avoid pitfalls. Let us be your friend “in the business” with some helpful advice.

Forklift operator certification and forklift Train-the-Trainer are very different types of training; which one is best for your company depends on many factors. Below are some things to consider when deciding which type of training is best for your company.

Traits of companies best served by outsourcing their forklift operator training:

• Companies with basic forklift types (sit down, reach, order picker, pallet jack). Ensures more providers are capable of meeting their needs.
• Companies with smaller numbers of operators and relatively low turnover. Keeps costs down and meets minimum billing requirements.
• Companies located near major metropolitan areas. Ensures there are a number of providers in the area and usually eliminates travel-related charges.
• Companies who are too busy to train their own people or who don’t have an in-house person they trust to do the training. Many companies are so busy they realize it’s best to focus on their core competencies and outsource other projects to professionals who specialize in those other areas.

Traits of companies best served having their own in-house trainers:

• Companies with complex equipment, attachments or applications. Companies with many types of forklifts, including unique forklifts like turret trucks, tuggers, roll clamps or those with very unique applications. No contractor will know your forklifts and application as well as your people do, or have as many hours of experience on them.
• Companies with large numbers of operators, who run multiple shifts or who hire new operators frequently in small numbers. It can be expensive and difficult to schedule these types of projects with a contractor. Remember, the hands-on evaluations must be done at your site and on your equipment to be compliant.
• Companies located away from major metropolitan areas. Training providers are very limited, and the quality of providers can vary greatly.

Once a company has decided what type of training will work best for them, they must find a provider who can meet their needs.

Some things to look for when contracting FORKLIFT OPERATOR CERTIFICATION:

Customization. Applications vary greatly from retail to manufacturing and warehouses. Forklifts vary greatly and include sit down, stand up, man up, walk behind and many more. Pick a vendor who takes the time to meet you and tour your site in advance of any training and who will customize their program to make it your program. Every site is different, taking the time to figure out what to cover and to bring companies up to speed on what they are doing well (or poorly) is just as important as issuing an operator permit.

Quantity. Most online offerings for forklift operator certification are a joke; advertising tag lines such as “get your forklift license in under an hour.” There is also no way to do the hands-on evaluations remotely in a safe manner. Pick a local provider who will take the time to ensure training is done properly. Expect a quality provider to have a classroom lasting 4-6 hours (depending on your forklift types), plus extra time for hands-on evaluations on each type of lift they operate.

Some things to look for when contracting FORKLIFT TRAIN-THE-TRAINER:

Quantity. Most forklift trainer’s classes are somewhere between 4 and 8 hours long. In reality, most are basic operator training classes with several hours of OSHA standards mixed in. If you want a trainer whose only function is inserting a DVD, that may work. However, if you want a trainer who can identify/fix hazards, customize a program to your site and equipment and help enforce safety, then it is not nearly enough. A two- or three-day program will obviously cost more than something lasting a fraction of the time, but you get what you pay for, or don’t pay for.

Competence. Would you want to fly with a pilot, or have an operation with a surgeon who didn’t attend a school with pass and fail criteria? Does the thought of flying in a storm or being in a challenging operation with someone who never had to prove their competency scare you? If not, it should! The same things apply to forklift trainers. In today’s world where “everybody gets a trophy,” you will want to search out a program with pass/fail criteria. Not everyone is cut out to be a forklift trainer and you want a program that can spot the red flags and tell you who you might want to pass on, as well as who are your superstars. WMHS

Brian Colburn is with Forklift Training Systems, a leader in forklift safety training and forklift safety products. He can be reached at info@forklifttrainingsystem.com or 614-583-5749 or on the web at www.forklifttrainingsystems.com.