Once you’ve managed to find the ideal counterbalance forklift or that perfect reach forklift truck to really maximise the productivity and space in your business, you’ll need to find the right drivers to operate them. No matter what type of forklift trucks that you prefer to use, you will still need to carefully consider the people you bring in to drive them.

Whether you need full-time staff to use them on a daily basis, or you need to hire drivers to help at specific times only, finding the right operators is essential to maintaining a high level of safety and efficiency in your workplace.

In order to hire the right operators for the job, you need to know what to look for. Their level of experience driving forklifts is obviously a big factor, however this is not the only thing that you need to consider when adding to your workforce. Sometimes operators who might lack extensive experience, may be more committed, hardworking and focussed to do the best job that they can. Plus, training individuals who are like this can be a very rewarding process.

So, what are the key things to look out for when hiring?

Someone who puts safety first

Forklift safety is hugely important in a busy industrial environment, not least because of the many common hazards that can occur when operating them. So, finding candidates that are committed to safety is a must.

It’s always advisable to glean as much as you can about how safety conscious a candidate is, either during the interview with them, or from a previous employer if possible. Never forget to seek out any references from past employers, and make sure that these references pay particular attention to the person’s attitude to safety and attention to detail. An industrial workspace can be a dangerous place, so having operators who constantly perform with safety in mind is vital.

Someone who is highly focused

Forklift operators need to be focused and constantly aware at all times to anything that’s going on around them. Unfortunately, many forklift related injuries can often occur because someone wasn’t paying enough attention in a busy industrial environment.