• Forklift Training

    Forklift Training 101

    Welcome to About Forklift Training! Your source for free online forklift training resources. Everything you need to know about forklift certification,...
  • Forklift Driver Salary

    Forklift Driver Salary In 2012

    Learn what companies are paying forklift drivers to ensure that you are earning enough!Since one of our more popular posts last year was "What Sal...
  • Forklift Training Cost

    Forklift Training Cost

    We have compiled a breakdown of costs by country below.These costs vary depending on:the country that you live in the training institute yo...
  • Forklift Safety Awareness

    Top 10 Funniest Forklift Safety Videos

    Forklift operation is a dangerous job. Forklift training is essential for your and your colleagues safety and must be provided on a regular basis, wi...
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  • Forklift Training
  • Forklift Driver Salary
  • Forklift Training Cost
  • Forklift Safety Awareness
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Forklift Training 101

Welcome to About Forklift Training! Your source for free online forklift training resources. Everything you need to know about forklift certification, safety training and forklift operator jobs. Covering the US, UK, Canada and Australia

We have everything you need to know about Forklift Training and Safety. Whether you’re looking to get started as a forklift operator or you’re looking for free forklift training resources or you’re an employer wanting to learn more about forklift certification for your employees, we have the answers to your questions. And it’s all for free!

Country specific training requirements, a step-by-step hiring process, potential employers and interviews to help you get hired are just some of the helpful topics you’ll find on this website.

Congratulations on finding a market that offers great pay and great opportunities for full-time or part-time work!

You have found a field that is in high demand in many countries, so your chances of getting a job and becoming a forklift truck driver are fantastic!  We’re here to help you fill the demand for this job.

There is a great amount of information available to you on the internet about how to become a forklift driver, however we want to provide you with all the information that you need in one place.  We want to help you get started with this as soon as possible and with the greatest of ease.

How to Become a Forklift Driver

Forklift driving is a great way to earn income to provide for your family, to pay for your studies or to fill a seasonal gap in your earnings.  The best place to start is to read the job description of a forklift driver.

Different countries have different certifications requirements and we will provide the details on a per country basis.  But remember that certification is usually quick and not too costly and some employers will pay for your course so it is definitely not a barrier to entry!

Click the link to find out more about getting your forklift licence.

What Does A Forklift Operator Do?

The job description of a forklift driver is actually quite varied and can involve a number of tasks as well as the obvious and principal task of driving a lift truck. Check out our section on forklift operator duties.

What Is Involved In Getting Your Forklift Licence?

Forklift training involves two aspects, theory and a practical test. We have more information on what is involved in forklift certification here: forklift training, as well as details on training costs.

Connect With Us

Let us know if you have any questions. You can connect with us in the comments on the site or you can find us at any of our social connections:

Drop by our Facebook Forklift Training page with any questions you might have
Connect with us on Twitter: Forklift Training on Twitter
Join our circle on Google Plus

If you like a particular article on the site, please take the time to leave a comment – we would love to connect with you. You can also help keep this site going by sharing our content via twitter or by clicking on the Facebook like button on each article.

We hope that you find all the forklift training resources that you need on this site and stay tuned – we will be adding more content on a regular basis.

Good luck!


Forklift Certification Should Be Regularly Evaluated Or Renewed

Renew Your Forklift Certification Regularly To Remain Safe

 
Forklift Certification involves training on two broad topics: forklift operation and workplace safety. Nearly 100 workers are killed annually and 20,000 are seriously injured because safety measures are not followed. See The Importance of Forklift Safety Training for more information around forklift accidents and the costs thereof.

Between 1980 and 2001, there were 1,530 fatal forklift accidents (Source: National Traumatic Occupational Fatalities (NTOF) Surveillance System).

Amongst these fatalities are deaths occurring because of the forklift overturning, hitting a pedestrian, falling from the forklift and being crushed by a forklift. These accidents represent the top 67 % of the total 1,530 deaths and are easily prevented with proper forklift training and safety measures in the workplace.

OSHA Standards

Forklift Certification

Be Safe - Forklift Certification

In the United States employers are required to ensure that any of their employees that operate a forklift have the appropriate training (OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks Safety Standard 1910.178 paragraph 1910.178(l)(7)).
Read more →


Forklift Driver Salary In 2012

Learn what companies are paying forklift drivers to ensure that you are earning enough!

Since one of our more popular posts last year was “What Salary Can I Earn As A Forklift Driver Salary“, we decided to do a more in-depth follow up article looking at what you can earn as a Forklift Driver in 2012 in the United States.

Not in the United States?

 
If you are looking for information on what you can earn in other countries, we are doing research into Canada, the UK and Australia and will publish this in follow-up articles. Subscribe to our RSS feed at AboutForkliftTraining RSS to be notified when we publish these articles or follow us on Twitter.

Research

 
Please remember that these rates are to be used as an indication of what you should be paid. What you actually earn will differ based on your location, the type of qualifications and experience you have and which industry you work in.

According to some indicators, for e.g. this article Forklift Business Up, the forklift sales industry is improving which can be a good indicator for jobs in the industry!

Financial Advice

Read more →


The Importance Of Forklift Safety Training

Forklift operation is a dangerous occupation and requires formal training and certification in order for employees and customers alike to remain safe.

Some of the salient facts about this occupation:

  • In the United States alone there are approximately 97,000 safety accidents per year
  • Near to 100 of these result in a fatality
  • More than 20,000 of these are serious injuries
  • As highlighted in the infographic below, according to the National Safety Council (US), the average work-related injury results in $38,000 (USD) in direct costs and $150,000 (USD) in indirects costs!

Ensure that all your forklift truck drivers are certified to operate a forklift. Learn more about forklift certification to help ensure a safe working environment.

We thought we’d share the excellent infographic below, created by Storage Solutions, to highlight the dangers involved in this occupation and the necessity of keeping safety at the top of the agenda – whether you are operating in a warehouse environment or on a movie set.
Read more →


Forklift Training Cost

We have compiled a breakdown of costs by country below.

These costs vary depending on:

  • the country that you live in
  • the training institute you choose
  • whether you are completing training for the first time or are doing a refresher course

A brief breakdown of costs by country are as follows:

Read more →


Top 10 Funniest Forklift Safety Videos

Forklift operation is a dangerous job. Forklift training is essential for your and your colleagues safety and must be provided on a regular basis, with full re-certification required every three years in most countries.

Sometimes it’s helpful to come at something serious from a different angle and while we at About Forklift Training take safety very seriously, we also recognize that forklift drivers are skilled professionals and to a man, have a good sense of humour – usually with a wicked edge.

So we spent some time hard at work watching YouTube videos :) and have a collection of “Forklift Safety Videos” below that we thought worth sharing.

If you have a video that we missed, please share it in the comments!

DISCLAIMER: Please note that these videos represent what you are NOT supposed to do with a forklift!

1. Forklift Operator Fail!

The first one and a half minutes of this video show some truckie failures of note!

Read more →


Top 7 Personal Protective Gear You’ll Need

A forkie is only as good as his tools! Driving a lift truck is a dangerous job and requires training in order for the operator and his colleagues to remain safe. Check out our section on Forklift Safety for more safety tips and resources.

As with the use of any power tool (a forklift is basically one big power tool!), there is some safety gear that can be worn to help make the job safer and more comfortable.

Listed below are some examples of the items that you will find useful as a forkie:

Read more →


What salary can I earn as a forklift driver?

Based on research into job boards in the countries listed below, we have compiled a breakdown of what salary you can expect to earn as forklift driver.

These rates should be used as indicators only. Your earnings could differ significantly based factors such as the city that you live in, the type of forklift truck you are qualified to operate, your experience in the industry as well as the specific industry that you work in.

A brief breakdown of wages by country are as follows: Read more →


Forklift Safety Top Tips

Stationary forklift tip #1:

When the forklift is not in use, keep the keys to your forklift on your person or in a secure location at all times. Forklift joy-riders abound! In all seriousness, anybody who is not qualified or authorised to drive a forklift could be a serious hazard in the workplace and could expose your employer to some hefty fines and/or lawsuits. Read more →


10 Forklift Safety Checklist Tips for Operational Pre-Use Inspection

Here is a list of 10 things you can check before using your forklift:

  • Ensure the horn is working and loud enough to be heard in your working environment
  • Your parking brake should hold against slight acceleration
  • Make sure the dead man seat brake holds when the driver stands up from their seat
  • Read more →