What To Know About Hiring Forklift Drivers in Indiana

Forklift Operator Safety

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Hiring forklift operators around Indianapolis is more of an HR issue than a material handling issue most of the time. But when your company needs new equipment operators, the expertise of a fleet manager or warehouse manager is invaluable in evaluating fit.

When looking for new hires to handle your forklifts in Indianapolis, keep some of these things in mind.

All Forklift Operators Will Need New Training

No matter how many different forklifts, aerial lifts, or burden carriers a candidate has worked with, they’ll need to undergo training on every machine your company uses. That’s because OSHA requires training specific to the environment and materials an operator will be working with.

So don’t think you can skip out on providing forklift training for Indianapolis operators just because you’re planning to hire someone with experience.

But, Forklift Experience Still Matters

All that said, forklift experience is still important to hiring a new lift truck operator. A passing familiarity with the type of material handling equipment your company uses will help your new operator acclimate more easily to the work environment, and the more experience they have with a particular type of forklift, the better they might be able to identify issues with the lift truck during operation.

Beyond familiarity with specific forklifts, prior experience working with types of shelving or materials can be invaluable. For example, if an operator candidate has experience transporting volatile materials (like say demolition explosives), they’ll have some transferable skills working with materials that require extra care (such as chemicals or medical supplies).

Look for Software Aptitude

Whether it’s interacting with a Fleet Management System, logging work and pick orders, or communicating with other teams – software proficiency is a vital part of a forklift operator’s success. So look not only for machine operating skills, but basic software skills that will help make the new forklift operator an asset to the team.

Hire Forklift Operators For The Work You Want To Do

This is something that applies to several industries, but can often get lost when looking for forklift drivers. When looking at hiring, think about the general direction of your company over the next few years. Are you changing direction, growing your operations, or expanding into new industries? If so, what qualities will your employees have that will facilitate those changes?

Look for those qualities in your current candidates, whether they’re technical skills (like experience with very-narrow aisle racking systems if you’re evaluating switching to VNA storage), or less technical ones (like leadership qualities if you know you’ll need more fleet managers down the road).

Turn to Tynan for Your Forklift Needs

Tynan Equipment Co. of Indiana can help you with forklift operator training, forklift rentals, and maintenance – just about any aspect except supplying the actual forklift driver. Get in touch with your local forklift expert by calling 317-957-4003.

Learn what to look for when hiring forklift drivers in Indiana.

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