Counterbalance lift truck Training
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration does require operators utilizing a counterbalanced lift truck to have received classroom or lecture style training. They additionally require that a supervised driving course is completed in addition to periodic refresher training. There is no required minimum time for the classroom training or supervised driving. What's more, there is no frequency mandated for the refresher training either.
Counterbalanced Forklifts
A counterbalanced forklift balances its cargo using the truck's weight. The forks on a lift truck are in a fixed position; they go up and down and do not turn. The forks run parallel to the body of the forklift. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration require that individuals who would be using counterbalanced forklifts on the job be properly trained on the trucks while being in the kind of setting that they will be using them.
Classroom Training
Training either lecture style or in a classroom would offer forklift and driver information for the truck you would be using. Most training will cover several aspects such as the weight and load capacity, height, how to fuel or charge the forklift. It covers how to gauge the time on the engine in addition to any forklift specific safety information including where to stand when walking around the truck. Either written and/or oral testing is part of the classroom training. There is no required minimum time for the training.
Supervised Driving
The forklift driver has to learn how to use the counterbalanced forklift while being supervised. The supervised driving has to take place in a place that reflects the environment the driver would be driving in. This atmosphere must include the type of terrain she will be traveling on, have the same vehicle and pedestrian traffic close by, and similar surrounding structures nearby too. There is no required minimum number of hours the driver has to drive while being supervised.