Everything You Should Know About Driving A Forklift

The importance of safety measures when handling forklifts are an absolute necessity. If you develop a well-rounded understanding of all things forklift related, you may be ready to come along and undergo some official forklift training. It is due to this, combined with our acknowledgement of the heavy demand for forklift trucks and forklift orientated jobs, that we have provided you with some top tips for getting started.

Forklifting Facts

One thing that will put you in good stead is knowing that forklifts can be used in a vast array of working environments. This can range from waste industries, construction, recycling and many more. It is also common for farmers to have forklifts that have several adjustments, allowing them to make their vehicle exactly what it needs to be to fulfil their own needs.

Forklifts are versatile due to the high quantity of adjustments available. Some of these are shovels, extended arms and buckets. It is easy to change a forklift into a snow plough, for example, by adding the shovel, making it a flexible vehicle that can perform required tasks in a catalogue of different scenarios.

Coming in a range of shapes and sizes to suit the environment and worker alike, there has never been a wider array of forklifts to choose from. Smaller, or mini forklifts, can be used in small and tight areas –for example, in a congested warehouse or scrapyard. You have probably noticed these forklifts located in a nearby DIY shop where there are stacks and stacks full of pallets and it would be near impossible to retrieve them without the assistance of a forklift becoming available.

There are a multitude of weather conditions that forklifts can work efficiently under. Forklifts are durable and robust which allows them to not freeze or break in extreme weather conditions. Built to survive a long time, forklifts can be scraped and knocked without any lasting damage or hindering of the task being performed, providing reliability. With thick tread tyres, the forklifts can manage the frequently uneven ground and muddy surfaces in which they are working in, reassuring the user of their own safety and the vehicle’s also.

If you heard someone mention the word “cab”, you’d probably assume they were talking about a taxi, wouldn’t you? Well when it comes to forklifts, this most certainly is not the case. The “cab” is the section of the forklift in which the operator sits in order to operate the machine. Cabs can be flexible combinations of PVC canopies and steel screens, which often come with blades, heaters and a multitude more. So, when you undergo your training and the instructor tells you to sit in the cab, don’t go to the local taxi rank!

Forklifts can be both bought or hired depending on the required duration of your needs, which is helpful for those who can’t fork out heavy finances for a permanent forklift. It would be down to a project manager to weigh up the benefits of obtaining a forklift full time and considering whether or not they outweigh the negatives. Likewise, it is up to them if they deem the task minor and therefore only need to hire the forklift for a temporary duration. There is an abundance of advantages to hiring and to permanently owning a forklift, so ensure you make an informed decision.

Many businesses have a plethora of forklifts to suit their ever-changing needs. One example of this is that a construction company might have big-scale, robust forklifts for very heavy-duty tasks – like moving slabs of concrete. A smaller forklift may be needed to manoeuvre materials in and around condensed spaces; often the case in building sites.

Training Courses For Forklifts

As you can see there are many lessons to be learnt in regard to forklifts, but each one will prepare you for all forklifting possibilities and scenarios. Do you think you have what it takes to undergo forklift training? Are you prepared?

We have many experienced instructors who are more than happy to assess your requirements and create bespoke training sessions for yourself. We provide novice and refresher courses. Whether you’re an experienced driver or new to forklift training, there are courses that suit you and your requirements perfectly.

Due to the fact that forklifts are needed in many locations and industries, we have approved training sites all over the country. This allows us to provide sublime assistance for those training to use forklifts across a wide array of locations and surfaces. The training courses provided can be completed at approved sites with pre-supplied equipment. However, courses can also be delivered on your premises if you already have possession of your own equipment.