Most industries, warehouses, and storage places require lifting and moving of products around regularly. Forklifts are one of the primary vehicles used in these facilities. Hence, forklift operators remain crucial to industries and warehouses that require lifting and moving material over a short distance. A forklift operator’s job profile is reasonably simple, and anyone with good general skills can operate the forklift. However, safety is essential to forklift operations, and the driver needs to comply with OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standards. Hence, gaining a forklift license or relative certifications remains essential. There are several institutions providing forklift licenses and certifications. Therefore, if you are interested in a forklift driver job profile, you can visit their website to know about forklift driver information.
A forklift license provides the necessary education and guidance to operate the forklift safely on the work floor. The license and certification amounts often do not exceed $300. Hence, cost should never be an excuse to avoid getting a license. A valid forklift operator’s license may secure the job for you for the long term. According to industry accident data, untrained forklift drivers are one of the major contributors to workplace accidents. And, if the forklift driver is unlicensed, the fines for OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) standard violations are considerably high. The safety violation fines amount many times exceeds the amount you require to obtain the forklift license.
On-Job Training
Officially, you do not require a degree or qualification to learn to drive a forklift. Forklift training is generally an on-the-job training process. On-job operator training is free as you acquire the skills while doing the job. The forklift operator is trained in various activities like lifting, moving, and placing goods on the company premises. The operator also handles multiple forklifts like forklift trucks, high lifting, pallet trucks, and rough terrain trucks to manage specific jobs. Therefore, natural ability, interest, and adaptability are the necessary primary qualities to become a skilled forklift operator.
If you seek training certification and license independently, you have several options. According to the forklift license guide, the forklift costs range between $60 to $399. The cost of the license depends on the type of forklift license that interests you. The modes of training also impact the cost. You can choose to go for online training or an on-the-job forklift license, which is often a company-sponsored training and certification initiative.
Online Certification and Licenses
Online forklift certification programs are more popular because of the flexibility on offer. You can get an OSHA-compliant training certification by paying a small training fee, like $50. These programs are very accommodating, divided into different modules, and offer many features beneficial for long-term development. Like many other online courses, they are fast-track, helpful to secure certification in less time. You can cover the forklift driver training course in an hour or so, according to their websites.
If you are occupied for some reason and fail to complete the online course on time, the self-paced online training course is an option for you. The self-paced training course helps you secure the certification that complies with OSHA safety standards. The cost of these online training modules is approximately $150. Again, the training costs are subjective to your selection of online training modules and the institutions offering the certification. You can get in touch with the institution representatives for more details.
Company-Sponsored Training Certification
Many reputed forklift certification providers do not offer individual certification. They work only on a company basis to provide the forklift license. Thus, forklift operators license through company sponsorship is a good option as it is paid for by your company. Also, the programs are more elaborate, matching the specific requirements. You train for the forklift you operate.
The cost of forklift operator certification for the companies ranges between $300 to $399 per employee. Company-sponsored forklift certification is a bulk employee certification process. Companies train employees in groups. For example, if a company plans to train 15 forklift operators, it will be issued the following:
- 15 operator cards
- 15 certificates
- Powerpoint presentation
- Checklist documentation for evaluation
- Training logs
The module curriculum comprises training information concerning warehouse forklifts, rough terrain forklifts, pallet jacks, order pickers, and workplace safety. The company does not have to pay extra for OSHA compliance as the training charges cover them.
Community College Initiatives
Some community colleges offer free forklift licenses as a part of their training modules. Therefore, you can get a forklift license for free if the option is available in nearby community colleges. You can check community colleges around you to know more about the initiatives and joining criteria.
