Forklift operators play a key role in helping organizations move products in and out of the warehouse. Your main job is to safely drive your forklift and abide by all health and safety regulations. You will be tasked with moving, loading, unloading, and stacking merchandise and materials. Some roles require you to fulfill custom customer orders. Inventory management may also be part of your role.
Forklift operator positions are physically demanding. You’ll spend most of your shift working on your equipment. Shifts last between 8 and 12 hours. You are required to wear proper safety gear and follow all safety procedures at all times. Work on evenings, nights, and weekends may be required as well.
Forklift operators looking to advance their career can move into more senior roles once they gain enough experience. The most common move is to work on a more sophisticated piece of equipment. It’s also common for experienced operators to take on supervisor roles. If you aspire to move up within your organization, you can qualify for warehouse, distribution, shipping and receiving manager positions with the right training.
Forklift operators in Paris, Ontario can make over $44,000 annually. This is about $22 per hour. At the top end of the salary scale you can make $24 per hour in this role. Learn more about the average salary for this position below.
annual: $44,304
monthly: $3,408
weekly: $852 per hour
hourly: $21.30 per hour
lowest salary: $18.50 per hour
average salary: $21.30 per hour
highest salary: $24 per hour
junior salary: $18.50-$19.50 per year
intermediate salary: $19.50-$23.10 per hour
senior salary: $22-$24 per hour
All forklift operator jobs share a number of similar responsibilities and daily tasks. They are as follows:
Forklift operators typically work in distribution centres, warehouses, and for retailers. You can also find work with construction companies, on supply yards, in supply chain and logistics, and many other industries. The type of companies that hire you will depend on your skills, experience, and qualifications on different types of forklifts.
As a forklift operator, you will need to be experienced working on a lift in a manufacturing or warehousing environment. Hiring companies are looking for people with good physical stamina and a positive attitude.
You should have these skills:
To work as a forklift operator you will need to have a number of years of experience and proper certification and training. You will also be required to have a high-school diploma or higher. Overtime additional training will be provided by the employer.