A forklift driver's license is required to operate any type of forklift, including electric warehouse stackers and reach trucks. These machines may differ from one another in many ways: category in the license for a forklift , which depends on engine power, engine type (electric, gasoline, diesel, gas), chassis (wheels or tracks), type of equipment (fork, front, backhoe loaders, etc.). But the main parameter is still the engine power, on which the category of the car depends.
Why do you need a forklift license?
Managing specialized construction and warehouse equipment will require appropriate management rights. This is a common certificate that a forklift operator needs to be employed in a warehouse.
In this segment, professions are in high demand, and, therefore, a forklift license will simply be a necessary solution when you are applying for such a vacancy. You can obtain a certificate if you have accurately mastered the specifics of operation, management, and design features of the equipment. Training can be conducted in one or more categories. The main thing is to know exactly which of them the equipment for the upcoming control belongs to.
Attention! The presence of rights indicates the qualifications of the owner, so they must be treated with the utmost attention.
Basic conditions for obtaining rights to an excavator
The main condition for training to operate a crawler excavator is that the person has the appropriate education, obtained after completing a full theoretical course on the operation of a self-propelled machine. In addition, this document must be certified by the state, as evidenced by legal admission.
If the necessary documents are available, a citizen can apply to a driving school. But it should be remembered that not all training institutions have a license to train machinists. Therefore, in order to obtain a license for an excavator, you need to look for a specialized institution, after which you will not have any further problems with the registration of the crust.
Who can receive
An applicant must be at least 18 years of age to obtain a forklift license. there are no contraindications regarding health status. The presence of contraindications is determined by a medical commission, which is mandatory for all applicants.
The student is also expected to have taken a driving course. This will be due to the fact that special equipment can move on public roads in the same way as other vehicles.
Features of a forklift operator driver's license
Depending on what category of license the forklift driver has, models with gasoline, diesel or electric engines may be available to him. This criterion directly affects the power of the machine. After all, in order to work on a large vehicle, a car enthusiast must have the appropriate rank. Without it, an inexperienced driver will only be allowed to drive a small mini-loader designed to perform light work.
Types of categories
Electric forklift licenses have several different categories, each with their own requirements and benefits. And this list looks like this:
- B – class of machines whose power does not exceed 25.7 kW. This includes reach trucks weighing up to 5 tons, designed for moving goods in construction stores and warehouses;
- C is a type of lifting equipment, with an engine from 26 to 110 kW. Large forklifts used at industrial and construction sites. With this category, the driver is allowed to drive mini-stackers;
- D - quarry excavators with a bucket, which are used for bulk elements. To train for this type of loader, the operator must have at least 5 years of experience working on small vehicles.
Working on specialized equipment, the driver receives the appropriate rank, which determines his current qualifications. Depending on this criterion, a person is assigned a role in the production process.
Rank
In total, there are five generally accepted categories for operators of balcony trucks and excavators used at industrial facilities:
- A light forklift operator who operates the vehicle under the supervision of a professional. At the request of the senior mechanic, he can assist in the repair of equipment;
- Drives the car independently, performing an individual outfit. In the event of a breakdown, he replaces worn parts himself;
- Driver of medium-sized forklift trucks with power up to 110 kW. On board the vehicle he also acts as an equipment adjuster;
- A mining excavator or bulldozer operator working with a partner responsible for loading bulk mixtures;
- A completely independent unit, which is allowed to operate forklifts of any type (not only move on specialized vehicles, but also use its individual mechanisms), carry out on-board repairs and take on apprentices as contractors.
When receiving a forklift license for the first time, the driver is assigned the first category. And it can only be increased by working at industrial facilities.
Obtaining a forklift driver's license
Any citizen who has reached a certain age can obtain a driver's license. You can study to become a loader of category A1 from the age of 16, and to become a forklift of category B, C, E, F - from the age of 17. D is open for adults.
For which categories of rights can training be organized:
- B. Operating permit for low-power vehicles (up to 25.7000 kW). These are vehicles whose weight does not exceed 5 tons (small-sized warehouse equipment).
- C. Category allows you to drive a car with an engine power from 25.70000 to 110.30000 kW. It is best to obtain such rights, as they allow a person to work with a large number of machines.
- D. They make it possible to work with machines whose power exceeds one hundred horsepower. These are wheeled mining machines and backhoe loaders.
Depending on the type of classes conducted, these categories can be either full-time or correspondence (via Skype).
It should be noted that categories A2 and A3 can only be studied after 19 years of age, and A4 - at 22 years of age. Upon completion of the course, you must report to Gostekhnadzor and prepare certificates.
Everyone who has received the profession of “loader driver” is issued a tractor driver’s license (national license), which is indicated on the back side “Category B, C - loader driver.”
The category is assigned in accordance with the Unified Tariff and Qualification Directory of Work and Professions of Workers (UTKS), determined by the inspector taking the exam (more about the exam below), and indicated in the certificate of completion of training next to the name of the profession. For example, "Forklift Driver 4".
Other categories:
- 2 – forklift driver. The rank means a driver is qualified to operate both forklifts and other machinery under the supervision of a more experienced person, and can also repair “material handling equipment and machinery,” according to the ETKS.
- 3 allows the driver to operate battery-powered models and other material handling equipment, load, stack and stow cargo, and participate in the repair and maintenance of machinery.
- 4 means that the driver can operate fork models up to 73.5 kW (100 hp), as well as any machinery used to move various loads and stack them in a dump and stack. A Class 4 forklift driver is required to independently carry out maintenance and repair of forklift equipment and all its mechanisms.
- 5 allows you to control models with an engine power of more than 100 “horses”, as well as equipment with less power if they are used “as bulldozers, scrapers, excavators and other machines” (quote from ETKS).
Rank 6 is required to operate a loader tractor with an engine power greater than 200 hp if it is used as a bulldozer or excavator.
What types of forklifts are there?
Most often, you need to obtain a license for a front loader (front loader category C). It refers to a self-propelled unit, which is designed to lift and move loads. Such equipment is equipped with either a bucket or other means for capturing heavy objects.
Rights to such installations are classified depending on the power of the facility.
In addition, the following stand out:
- Diesel.
- Railway loader.
The first type of forklift is designed for driving a forklift and lifting heavy loads. This is a fork mechanism equipped with a special counterweight, which allows you to move very heavy objects. It is also called diesel by the type of fuel it uses.
A railway loader is referred to as such according to the place where it is used. This is a fork unit designed for transporting cargo while on a railway line, as well as filling trains with cargo masses.
A license to operate a forklift must be obtained for each specific type of self-propelled unit described above.
Discharges when working with a loader
Depending on the degree of qualification of a specialist in working with forklifts, he is assigned one or another rank.
- 2nd category. Assumes minimal authority to operate equipment. The holder of this rank can work under the supervision of a more experienced specialist. He can also help in repairing equipment.
- 3rd category. Makes it possible to work with small loaders, including repairing and servicing machines.
- 4th category. Allows you to work with medium-power loaders. His responsibilities also include repair and maintenance of units.
- 5th category. Drivers with this rank can operate large equipment, such as excavators and bulldozers.
- 6th category. Used to control a tractor loader with maximum power if it is used as an excavator or bulldozer.
Receipt procedure
Course training will be required. After completing the training, the applicant is required to undergo testing. This is an incomplete exam, but a difficult stage of obtaining a license that cannot be neglected. In the event that the test is passed, the candidate is given a corresponding certificate stating that he has completed the full course of classes. This is required for a subsequent trip to Gostekhnadzor.
It is also necessary to bring a medical certificate and a certificate of completion of training to the regulatory authority, where the recipient of the license is tested. Gostekhnadzor sets a day, as well as an exact time for testing.
Important! The package of documents must be accompanied by a student’s identity certificate.
Do I need a medical certificate?
To obtain categories of rights for a Bobcat, you will need to undergo a special medical commission. Based on the results, a certificate is issued indicating that the driver is admitted to the category corresponding to the forklift, and not the car. As part of the medical commission, the category of special equipment specifies its own requirements.
The cost is included in the final price set for completing the training. The list of doctors can be clarified when applying for training. At the same time, the Ministry of Health is considering the issue of developing new certificates.
Is a regular driver's license required?
It is worth noting that having a driving license will be a condition for obtaining admission to take special courses. A driver's license must be of any category. But, if such a document is not on hand, this will not become a critical condition that should be emphasized.
This factor will complicate the learning process, because in parallel with this, you will have to master traffic rules and the specifics of driving a car. To enroll in a driving school, you will need to prepare and submit documents. In this case, the time spent on training can increase to three months. Training under this program is carried out in separate specialized rooms equipped with the necessary infographics and simulators.
The forklift driver receives the following documents:
- In an educational institution, after passing internal exams, a certificate of professional training in the profession of “forklift driver” of the 4th category is issued.
- After passing the exam, the inspector, if successful, is issued a tractor driver’s license with activated marks of categories B and C (self-propelled machines - forklifts, electric forklifts). In the special notes column, the restrictive entry “forklift driver” is indicated if there is no permission to operate other self-propelled machines of the corresponding categories.
The main tasks of a forklift operator are loading and unloading.
Identity example
A loader license is a document for a tractor that identifies open categories. There are special markings that correspond to the qualifications of drivers of a tractor, category 4 loader, excavator, etc. The license for a new model contains the following information:
- document's name;
- certificate code;
- personal data of the owner (last name, first name, date and place of birth, place of residence, signature) and photograph of the owner;
- who issued the license;
- date of issue;
- validity.
The document must be certified by the signature and seal of an engineer-inspector of Gostekhnadzor.
The forklift driver's license is valid for 10 years. After this, you need to change the rights. To get a replacement, you need to undergo retraining and take tests again. After this, the operator’s license for the forklift will be changed; A person will not receive a new sample until he passes tests at Gostekhnadzor. This is necessary due to the increased danger on the roads and the difficulty of controlling construction vehicles.
But sometimes the certificate is replaced earlier, due to loss or other reasons. Then you do not need to re-train as a forklift or take exams. Certification is only needed in case of deprivation of rights.
Education
It is carried out in specialized educational institutions and centers, and lasts about 1.5-2 months. The training is divided into 2 stages - theory and practice. In the process of mastering the main theoretical course, the features of the loader design and safety precautions when working with machines are studied.
For studying in a good institution, the necessary conditions have been created: places with computers installed in them, stands with the help of which you can undergo training, and other materials.
Theory
The center's library should accept citizens with technical literature to obtain information about the operation of construction equipment. Citizens undergo theoretical training so that they are given the rights to:
- electronic units;
- frontal machines;
- mini excavators;
- Karu, etc.
In the future, tractor drivers or car mechanics will study the technical parameters of machines. This is necessary for calculating the weight of cargo, further inspection, monitoring and repair of units.
Practice
If the operator already has a license, then he can acquire the necessary skills in the practice of managing construction equipment, study the theory of machine design, and safety precautions when performing work activities.
During practice, the future driver studies the rules of the road, analyzes the distinctive characteristics of working in a small space (a warehouse, for example) and the rules for operating special equipment. The driver needs to know how to troubleshoot minor problems and also ensure safety in the workplace. The necessary information is studied during the theoretical preparation process and verified by tickets.
The practice includes training on a loader in different modes: at the training ground or in conditions close to real ones. The student must learn how to safely perform loading and unloading operations and transporting goods. It is recommended to find out where training to become a front-end loader driver is paid for and how many hours of practice are required. The more time a student spends on technology, the better he will be able to pass the exam the first time.
Category of rights for a front loader up to 35 liters. With.
But there is another, very small family of front loaders with an engine power of up to 35 hp. With. There are so few of them that such mini-tractors are rarely mentioned even in construction equipment catalogs. But they exist (a typical example is the German Kramer 5035 with an engine of 31 horsepower, or 23 kW) and are most often used by public utilities for snow removal. What is the category of rights for a front loader of this type? Of course, B (special wheeled and tracked vehicles with an engine power of up to 35 hp). Moreover, the right to independently control the machine, without the supervision of a mentor, comes only with the assignment of the 3rd working category to the tractor driver.
How to exchange a “red” forklift driver’s license for a new document?
Employees with a red-collar forklift license...can still operate forklifts or electric forklifts with engine power up to 4 kW . Such floor-mounted, trackless wheeled vehicles are called differently: electric cars, electric carts, stackers (forklifts or with a platform). Battery-powered forklifts typically transport goods inside warehouses, industrial and commercial bases, and logistics centers. They are prohibited from driving on public roads.
A small clarification: in accordance with inter-industry rules on labor protection when operating industrial vehicles (floor-mounted trackless wheeled vehicles), you (workers operating forklifts, electric forklifts, cargo trolleys) must annually undergo a knowledge test of labor protection rules in accordance with GOST 12.0.004-2015 . And workers who have had a break in work in a given type of work, position, profession for more than three years, and when working with hazardous production facilities for more than one year, undergo training and testing of knowledge of rules, regulations and instructions on labor protection and safety before they are allowed to work independently. work in accordance with clause 8.10.POT RM – 008-99.
If you can confirm your work experience with an entry in your work book or 3 years have not passed since the certificate was issued, it is possible to extend your forklift license if you are required to do so when applying for a job.
Unfortunately, it will not be possible to exchange an old-style forklift driving license (crust) for a plastic tractor license.
Training in a driving school with excavator and specialized equipment
Regardless of what kind of license you need (for a loader or an excavator), the teaching methods at a driving school will not be different. It consists of the following stages:
- Study of vehicle controls, the meaning of its sensors and indicators, familiarization with technical characteristics and possible breakdowns;
- Studying safety rules when working with specialized equipment (both during operation and during maintenance);
- Practical course on replacing basic consumables (performed on a mock-up or on real equipment);
- Driving on a prepared site (carried out in a car of the appropriate category, under the supervision of a master).
Attention! For all the listed activities, the driver will have to pay about 2,000 rubles. Well, for those car enthusiasts who want to buy the rights to an excavator, this amount will at least double.
Replacement of expired rights
To replace an expired license, you will need to re-pass the exam at a driving school, which includes theoretical and practical parts. The cost of the procedure will depend on the region where it is performed by the citizen. After this, the replacement of the expired certificate is carried out in accordance with the standard step-by-step instructions.
A fine for the very fact of having expired rights will not be assessed. This is possible only in the case when the owner of the license was stopped by a traffic police officer and determined that the driving was carried out after its validity period.
