Forklift Driver Job Description, Key Duties and Responsibilities

This post provides detailed information on the job description of a forklift driver, to help you learn the key duties, tasks, and responsibilities they commonly perform.

What Does a Forklift Driver Do?

A forklift driver is responsible for ensuring the proficient and safe use of the forklift in lifting, moving, and packing of merchandize.

The job description of the forklift driver will entail lessening work hazards and damage to merchandise that often occurs with lifting of overwhelming burdens.

Forklifts are helpful not just because they enhance work proficiency and efficiency, but also for the fact that they decrease work stretch and weakness.

In addition to the numerous advantages that the forklift offers, it equally reduces cost of hiring numerous labourers and the accompanying paperwork and stress involved in managing humans.

A forklift driver to be employed by a company must be well trained for the role.

In addition, he/she is expected to be a meticulous driver and to possess all the necessary drivers’ license and safety certifications.

Most importantly, as part of his/her work description, the forklift driver must be a safety conscious individual and should adhere to all safety regulations and procedures’ established by the company.

Forklift Driver Job Description Example/Sample/Template

Stated below are the major duties, tasks, and responsibilities that form the job description of forklift drivers working in most companies across the country.

This example of job description can be used as a template by hiring or hr managers in creating theirs for a newly hired forklift driver.

• Move merchandize from one place to another using the forklift
• Operate other mechanical devices and/or other controls that operate lifting devices like lift beams
• Load, unload, move, and pack materials
• Inspect products to be moved for accuracy, and safely move them to warehouse or factory
• Load and offload materials onto and off pallets skids, and vehicles
• Place the forklift and other lifting tools over, under, or around loaded boxes, pallets, or skids
• Ensure that materials loaded to be transported are secure
• Ensure that products are safely moved to designated areas
• Weigh merchandize and record weight or other production data on labels or tags
• Observe and comply with quality, environment, health, and safety procedures
• Personally check all quality descriptions of the merchandize to be moved
• Ensure that the products are properly stacked
• Carry out routine checks on the forklift and other devices
• Report to the warehouse manager or supervisor
• Stack and empty inbound shipments
• Build, pick, and pack of pallets
• Perform quality check on all inbound merchandise
• Carry out regular check and maintenance on the forklift and other control equipment
• Recognize and report mechanical and electrical flaws to the warehouse manager
• Manually pack merchandise in the stockroom/warehouse
• Move item from the stockroom to different units inside the organization either utilizing the forklift or by hand
• Pack and move different things other than products as instructed by the supervisor
• Move wastes, chemicals and other items using the forklift
• May be required to drive trucks and other movable machines.

Forklift Driver Job Description for Resume

To get a job as a forklift driver, you will need to have a good resume written and sent to hiring managers.

A part of the document that must be well prepared to get the employer’s attention is the job experience section, which shows that you have indeed carried out the duties and responsibilities of the role.

To enable you make this section satisfactorily, you can take advantage of the sample job description presented above by using the stated functions of the position in your resume.

However, be sure that you have actually worked and carried out the activities before using them in your resume, otherwise, you will be giving false information in your resume, which is not advised.

Forklift Driver Requirements: Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge for Career Success

The job of a forklift driver requires certain skills and abilities to perform excellently.

Here are the major skills and qualities employers will usually require you to have to work as a forklift driver in their companies, as they believe having such attributes will make you better on the job than others who do not have them:

• The job involves lifting of heavy loads mechanically and sometimes manually. So, forklift drivers must have a lot of stamina and physical strength. They must be able to bend, kneel and stoop from time to time. They must have the endurance to sit and drive the forklift for a very long time
• He/she must possess the necessary training and certificates necessary to drive a forklift and other similar mechanical devices
• He/she must have the necessary safety training and certificates, and must be safety conscious
• He/she must be of the legal age stipulated by law for a forklift driver position. Ideally, the person must be up to 18 years of age or more
• A good vision is imperative as well as sound health, as the driver may be required to work in extreme temperatures and sometimes may be asked to move hazardous chemicals or wastes
• Experience as a forklift driver is often required. Some companies provide on-the-job training for their new forklift drivers by attaching them to an experienced driver
• Must be willing to work flexible shifts as he/she may be required to load or unload cargo during weekend, holidays, or even at night
• He/she is expected to possess excellent communication skills; he/she must be able to listen to and take instructions from the warehouse manager and adhere strictly to them
• Good numerical skill is also very essential for effective forklift driving work as the driver is expected to weigh and accurately record the weight and description of the merchandize being moved
• He/she must have the ability to work in high pressure environment
• Must have a minimum of high school diploma to be able to effectively handle the paper work associated with the job of driving the forklift.

Forklift Driver Skills for Resume

The skills expressed above, which a forklift driver should develop to excel on the job, can equally be used in making the skills section of the resume for the post.

Having a skills section for your resume is vital to its success as most employers look for it to see if you’ve got the right skills and qualities that can enhance your performance.

So, make your forklift driver resume more powerful by including this section, which you can easily prepare with the above listed skills.