Believe it or not, certain companies actually allow their workers on the floor to operate a forklift even though they have not been given adequate training. By allowing un-trained people the opportunity to operate such a massive and potentially dangerous equipment, extremely negative results could occur to the business and the employees.
For example, a serious accident is more likely to happen if an untrained driver is behind the wheel. The driver might accidentally run into an employee who passes by the machine. This case could occur because of imprecise and quick maneuvers. He or she can figure that driving a lift truck is like driving any other type of motor vehicle, and this is definitely not the case.
Unfortunately, there have been numerous reported cases of forklift accidents that happened in companies. These mishaps could occur due to different reasons when operating this type of vehicle. Like for instance, several lift trucks are not outfitted with reverse sensors and even if they are outfitted with them, these sensors do not necessarily cover a wide rear end area. Hence, the driver is more likely to have a few issues when they are just learning how to drive in reverse.
Especially while in the learning curve, the lift truck driver has to drive the equipment slowly and just after ensuring there is no other workers or things behind it, put the vehicle into reverse. Someone with incomplete training or an inexperienced driver may utilize the machine to pick up supplies in an incorrect way or that are really heavy for the equipment. Raising the wrong items can cause the products to suddenly fall off of the machinery. This could severely damage the merchandise or the warehouse itself or it could possibly harm the employees if they happen to be close by.
Before allowing a worker to operate a forklift, companies should mandate and insist that the training and certification in order to keep the company and its workers safe. By following these stringent rules, the company could help to avoid serious mishaps.