Forklift Operator

Welch Packaging Group•Batavia, IL

About The Position

Operate forklift equipment to company standards and receive, process, tag, and store incoming raw materials. Load and unload trucks as needed and operate banding equipment and conveyor lines when required. Support material handlers, shipping personnel, and clamp drivers while helping keep the warehouse organized. The role includes maintaining a safe, clean, and efficient work area; inspecting and maintaining forklift equipment; keeping converting lines supplied; and communicating production or equipment issues to supervisors and other shifts. The operator also inspects and documents incoming and outgoing products and supplies, manages finished goods and waste materials, completes assigned documentation and computer tasks, submits maintenance work requests, and follows plant procedures for lockout/tagout, waste tracking, and quarantined products.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Prior forklift experience.
Ability to pass basic forklift and clamp truck training.
Ability to read and write English.
Ability to read tape measures and perform basic mathematical calculations.
Strong written and oral communication skills.
Organization and attention to detail.
Analytical and problem-solving skills.
Time management skills.
Systems analysis skills.
Mathematical and deductive reasoning skills.
Critical thinking and active learning skills.
Ability to stand, walk, and communicate with team members regularly; use hands and reach; and stoop, kneel, or crouch frequently.
Ability to climb into and out of a forklift or clamp truck safely.
Ability to regularly lift or move up to 50 pounds and occasionally lift or move up to 75 pounds.
Vision abilities including close, distance, color, and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

Responsibilities

Operate forklift equipment to company standards and operate and maintain forklift equipment as required.
Receive, process, tag, and store incoming raw materials according to procedures.
Load and unload trucks, following all lockout/tagout procedures for trailer loading and unloading.
Operate the bander, hand bander, and conveyor line as needed.
Assist material handlers, shipping personnel, clamp drivers, and other forklift operators; communicate relevant information to coworkers and the oncoming shift.
Report unsafe conditions, near misses, and any property damage to the supervisor immediately.
Keep docks, aisles, bander areas, and other work areas clean and organized; remove trash as needed.
Keep converting equipment lines supplied so machines do not wait for product.
Read and understand the production schedule and inform the supervisor in advance of issues.
Handle bales efficiently, minimize forklift damage, and cut and remove banding and dunnage as directed.
Perform the daily forklift inspection at the beginning of the shift as required by OSHA.
Inspect incoming and outgoing products and supplies and document defects.
Inventory and organize finished products; complete assigned documentation, including load verification forms.
Shred waste materials and properly weigh and identify each load.
Operate plant PCs and appropriate systems to complete assigned tasks.
Enter maintenance work requests for safety-related, scheduled, and unscheduled tasks as needed.
Rework spilled or potentially unsafe bales or pallets of finished goods.
Follow plant procedures for tracking waste bales and place quarantined products in the quarantine area.
Perform other tasks as assigned.