6 Important Ways Telehandler Certifications Address Safety Concerns

When it comes to safety, one of the most effective ways to reduce job site injuries is proper training on equipment.

Tele(telescopic)handlers require skilled operators that can maneuver the vehicle, manage heavy loads, and adeptly handle the machine controls. The best way for an operator to safely maneuver a sky boom and meet safety requirements is to become certified.

Here are six ways telehandler certification can create a safer working environment.

1. OSHA Requirements: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specific safety requirements across all environments in the workplace, including the operation of telehandlers. Workplaces can avoid heavy fines and legal action by requiring all machine operators to become certified in specific equipment.
2. Steering and Maneuvering: Certification and OSHA requirements create a safer environment for proper steering and maneuvering. Operators who go through certification training will be able to manage proper starting and stopping, mounting and dismounting, operation speeds, steering, safe traveling, parking, managing a heavy load on an incline, and tip-over in a way that is safe and effective.
3. Individual Machine Controls: Beyond the maneuvering of the vehicle from one place to another on a job site, the operator needs to be adept at handling the individual controls of the machine and manage any loads on the lift.
4. Reading a Sky Boom Loading Chart: With every load that the telehandler transports, there is a level of skill that comes with understanding the capabilities of the equipment to handle the load. To properly and safely operate a sky boom, a skilled driver must understand and be able to correctly read a loading chart. By using the Load Ratings and Range Diagram, an operator can safely calculate whether or not the forklift is loaded properly.
5. Pre-Use Inspections:One of the more important ways of reducing safety concerns is checking over the machine before operation. A pre-use inspection can help with the overall maintenance and allow for skilled operators to see potential problems long before the equipment is used.
6. Hands-On Exercises: Repetition and practice are the keys to mastering a skill. Certification or recertification on a telehandler allows an operator to engage in hands-on exercises to increase comfort in the tasks and expand an operator’s knowledge base.

Overall, certification on a telehandler reduces safety concerns, increases an operator’s skill set, and helps ensure that equipment is handled with care.

There are lots of different types of telehandler on job sites across the world; the 3 most common being fixed boom, rotational, and heavy-lift telehandlers. It is important that personnel obtain training appropriate to the types of telehandler equipment they will be operating.

Are you in need of telehandler training and certification? RWLS Safety is here to help! We travel to your site and train certify on your equipment. Contact us at 570-404-8420 to get started.