Do you own a business that moves a lot of product around frequently? Or are you in the warehousing industry and are dependent upon accessing stored materials on a regular basis? Whatever your needs, it’s paramount that you have a trained forklift operator to handle them. It’s key to the success of your business. If you’re undecided about bringing a trained forklift operator onto your staff or getting an existing staff member certified, here are a few key reasons why you should.
Minimize liability
No business on Earth wants to deal with personal injury lawyers trying to solve a workplace claim. Your risk of personal injury greatly increases when heavy machinery is involved. By making sure your staff is properly trained or that you’re relying on the skills of a well-qualified contractor, you’re reducing your liability in the unfortunate event of any sort of forklift-related injury on your premises
When looking at forklift operators, you should know that training and certification is required by OSHA. While just about anyone can hop into the seat of a forklift and drive it around, that doesn’t mean just anyone should. If you’re looking into having one of your staff members operate the forklift in your workplace, it’s necessary for them to pursue the proper training and certification. Otherwise, you’re opening your business up to a host of legal complications in the unfortunate event of an injury. If you’re not ready to invest in a full-time forklift operator, you’ll find numerous well-respected forklift services in Akron, OH, that are eager to assist your business.
Cost savings
Think of the untold costs of a potential lawsuit. By ensuring you’re only working with certified forklift operators, you’re mitigating those potential costs. Now think of the possibility of product and facility damages as well as forklift misuse. It should come as no surprise to learn that forklifts are fairly expensive pieces of machinery. If they’re improperly used, repairs are costly. If one is damaged beyond repair, you’re out the cost of a new machine.
Product damages are also a great way to set yourself behind on orders and hemorrhage money. An improperly operated forklift makes it all too easy to smash boxes, crumple products, and drop entire pallets to the ground. Depending on the goods you sell, this loss could range anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars. While a product insurance policy is the best way to prevent your business from footing the bill for damages, a trained forklift operator is an excellent way to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Production and efficiency
While product damages are a major area for concern, the inverse holds a lot of positive benefits. A trained forklift operator can greatly speed up production times, shipping turnarounds, and storage times. If you rely on forklifts to retrieve products and help you prepare for shipments, a properly trained forklift operator will be a boon to your business. Being able to quickly find and pull products greatly speeds up shipment times and product turnarounds which is a plus for both you and your customers.
The right call
If you’re in a business that works with high volumes of products or handles any sort of warehousing, a trained forklift operator is an absolute must. Don’t put your business at risk with poorly trained workers and subpar services. It’s up to you to ensure that everyone working under your management has the skills and qualifications to excel. Find one sooner than later to keep your business running smoothly and your customers happy.