Cambridge Forklift License - In North America, obtaining a forklift license or forklift certification involves hands-on and classroom training. Regulatory control over certification, training and license for powered industrial truck operators falls under the jurisdiction of federal, state and provincial groups. Operators could acquire a license either by a third party or through training administered by the employer. Regardless, regulatory requirements should be met. Recertification is required every two to three years.
Lift trucks are powered industrial trucks that come together with various options, like sit-down and stand-up. There are various types and sizes of forklift suitable for various industrial applications. Operator training courses are often individualized to address the particular uses and types for which the operator is training. Training on a gas-powered, sit-down lift truck in a warehouse setting will not be the same as training on a propane-powered, stand-up forklift within a shipyard. The different lift trucks and their applications makes it impossible to establish universal licensing requirements for all businesses and machinery. Regulatory standards, therefore, have a tendency not to focus on particular course requirements but rather on the outcome of individual training courses.
Employer-provided, on-the-job training is the most common way for operators to obtain their forklift certification or license. This particular method of certification needs the employer to provide practical training and classroom sessions on equipment in the workplace. Employers may choose to train employees on each kind of forklift separately, or to train them on all machinery combined. The program incorporates forklift operation procedures, safety procedures, company policies and lift truck maintenance. Topics particular to the worksite, like for instance dangerous materials or conditions, must be included. Following classroom learning, operators are taught how to safely operate and use each and every kind of lift truck on the worksite.
When utilizing a third party trainer, the certification process would usually consist of an on-site component together with hands-on practice.
It should be noted that certifications provided by an employer do not transfer from one employer to the next. Obtaining a lift truck license through employer-provided training enables the operator to run a lift truck for that employer only.
The most significant aspect of forklift license training is forklift safety. The exact safety training requirements vary from one type of equipment to another. Safety problems vary from employer to employer, and from industry to industry. Both third-party providers and employer-provided training might have to deal with extra requirements for safety training in applicable businesses, like for instance in marine and offshore operations.