Wednesday 28 March 2012

Getting A Forklift Truck License

When it comes to driving any vehicle one requirement is that you have a license and for good reason too as thousands of accidents happen every year and that's with people who have been trained to drive. Can you imagine what the roads would be like if there was no regulation to learn how to drive the vehicles properly. I can assure you that these figures would be ten-fold or more so it's important to go through the correct channels when it comes to operating any vehicle. Besides it is against the law not to get a license for driving a vehicle so it's a no brainer that you put aside some money to take lessons and pass the test when ready.

You may be thinking that licenses apply to vehicle on the road only but this is not the case as off road vehicles also fall under the same umbrella. If you take fork lift trucks for example, they usually operate in and out of warehouses but without proper training you could quite easily end up injuring yourself or others in the process.

The good news is that there are plenty of training schools ready to help get you qualified and in terms of forklift truck training the most common license people opt for is for the counter balanced forklift truck. In fact just like there are various grades of lorry licenses there are also different forklift licenses as well. Once you get your counter balanced forklift license you can't just hop onto a terrain forklift as the two handle differently and are used for different tasks. You can however progress onto other forklift licenses by taking what's called conversion training which usually takes one to two days and at the end of it you will be qualified to drive other forklift related machinery.

The best fork lift truck training companies offer training for all types of forklift licenses and it's advisable to speak with a trainer beforehand if you are unsure which type of forklift license you should go for first. As I said the counter balanced forklift truck license is the most common license and will allow you to load and unload pallets of goods which is widely used in a warehouse setting. It's also one of the easier forklifts to train for and is a great asset when applying for jobs in warehouses and other industrial places. Check out aftt.co.uk to get an idea on Forklift Truck training benefits.

You may have had previous experience with other industrial type vehicles such as tractors and diggers but with no actual prior experience of forklifts I'm afraid you will have to take the full course which usually lasts around five days. It does help though if you have had experience with other off road vehicles and will put you in good stead to pass the exam with flying colors. Having said that, there is no need to have any experience at all with any type of equipment as the training provides every skill you need to pass the test.

For those of you that have had prior forklift experience you can short cut your training with taking courses that last between one and three days depending on what the trainer deems is necessary from your circumstances. For example, you may have switched jobs and not needed to use a forklift for a number of years and then changed jobs again where you do. In this instance you have already been trained up to use a forklift but may be a little rusty in maneuver the vehicle so need a one day course to bring you back up to speed. Whatever your level of experience there will be a training program to match which is great for both novice and experienced drivers.

No matter which forklift truck training license you go for the courses usually entail a detailed walk through at the beginning so everyone knows what to expect. You will need to book some time off work as the training does take up a good part of the day and will be over the course of one to five days.

As far as choosing a forklift truck training company goes you want to make sure you pick one which is accredited and to make life easier you can check out the list of companies on the RTITB website which is the governing board for forklift training and it stands for The Road Transport Industry Training Board. The best training websites should have their accreditation in full view along with any other registered bodies.

It is worth getting prices from several forklift truck training companies as the costs do vary so you could end up getting a better deal than you would by visiting the first website you come to. What you do want to do is make sure that the training company offers a wide range of forklift courses as you don't want to have to go to a different training school each time.

Once you narrow down who you want to get training from give them a call and ask them any questions you need answering. Good trainers are usually more than happy to help with any enquiries you may have and will be able to point you in the right direction in terms of choosing the forklift license which is right for you.

1 comment:

  1. If you want to get a Forklift Truck License, then you should easily get it from HR truck license QLD. Here you have to submit your legal documents and as soon as possible get your license.


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