No shortcuts to quality operators

摘要

The art and science of building a team of forklift operators has changed in recent years. Extreme peaks, labor shortages and the growing sophistication of forklifts and related systems have all conspired to keep labor expenses at the top of a facility's costs. The need for rapid onboarding and better-than-average operator performance means body count is no longer enough. To preserve the productivity, safety and sustainability of a team of operators requires new thinking about training and cost management. David Hoover, founder and president of Forklift Training Systems, says training practices suffer from at least three major pitfalls: unrealistic expectations, improper screening and bad habits. Training takes time and management's unrealistic expectations can quickly snowball into big and expensive problems, Hoover says.