Forklift Training and Certification

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OSHA Regulations

OSHA ISSUES NEW REGULATIONS FOR FORKLIFT OPERATORS - December 1, 1998

Are You in Compliance? The Employer is Responsible for OSHA Compliance for all its Lift Truck Operators.

On December 1, 1998, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a standard that revised the existing requirements of 29 CFR 1910.178 and issued new requirements to improve the training of powered industrial truck operators.

The standard becomes effective on March 1, 1999 with mandatory compliance by December 1, 1999. This new standard is intended to reduce the number of injuries and deaths that occur as a result of inadequate operator training. The powered industrial truck operator training requirements will apply to all industries except agricultural operations.

• The employer must evaluate the operators' performance before allowing any employee to use a vehicle in the workplace, except for training purposes.
• The employer may designate any qualified employee as Trainer/Evaluator. There are no special or additional "Train the Trainer" requirements.
• OSHA does not certify, accredit or approve any trainers or training programs for powered industrial trucks. The responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the OSHA standard rests with the employer

REQUIREMENTS OF THE NEW STANDARD

WHO SHOULD CONDUCT THE TRAINING?

Persons with the necessary knowledge, training, and experience to train powered industrial truck operators and evaluate their competence must conduct all training and evaluation.

The OSHA rules state:
"Training and evaluation shall be conducted by a person with the knowledge, training and experience to train powered industrial truck operators and evaluate their competence". This means that any adequately proficient and experienced lift truck operator can become a forklift safety trainer for your company.

Outside qualified training organizations can provide evidence that the employee has successfully completed the relevant classroom and practical training. However, each employer must ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation.

GENERAL TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

The new standard requires employers to develop and implement a training program based on the following general principles:

• Safe truck operation
• Types of vehicle(s) being used in the workplace
• Hazards of the workplace created by the user of the vehicles
• General safety requirements of the OSHA standard
• The operator's prior knowledge and skill in operating the vehicle
• The operator's demonstrated ability to operate a vehicle safely

General requirements for training and evaluation are:

• Formal (lecture, video, interactive computer, etc.) training
• Practical training using demonstrations and exercises
• Employers must certify that each operator has received the training
• Employers must evaluate each operator's performance at least once every three years

Prior to operating the truck in the workplace, the employer must evaluate the operator's performance and determine the operator to be competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely. For employees hired before December 1, 1999, training and evaluation must be completed by that date. For employees hired after that date, training must occur before that person is allowed to operate a truck in the workplace.

Refresher training is needed whenever an operator demonstrates a deficiency in the safe operation of the truck, such as:

• The operator is involved in an accident or near-miss incident
• The operator has been observed using the vehicle in an unsafe manner
• An evaluation has determined the need for additional training
• There are workplace changes that can affect vehicle operation
• The operator is assigned to use a different kind of truck

DEFINITION OF A POWERED INDUSTRIAL TRUCK

Any mobile power-propelled truck used to carry, push, pull, lift, stack or tier materials. Powered industrial trucks can be ridden, or controlled by a walking operator. Earth moving and over the road haulage trucks are not included in the definition. Equipment that was designed to move earth but has been modified to accept forks are also not included.

WHO MUST BE TRAINED?

All persons who will operate a powered industrial truck must be trained and pass an operator evaluation before being allowed to use a vehicle in the workplace.

OSHA states that an employer does not need to retrain an employee in the operation of a powered industrial truck if the employer certifies that the operator has been evaluated and has proven to be competent to operate the truck safely. However, the employer is fully responsible for documentation certifying that the required training and evaluation has taken place for all truck operators.

The operator would need additional training in those elements where his or her performance indicates the need for further training and for new types of equipment and areas of operation.

TEMPORARY EMPLOYEES

OSHA has issued several letters of interpretations on the subject of training of temporary employees. Basically, there is a shared responsibility for assuring employees are adequately trained. The responsibility for providing training should be spelled out in the contractual agreement between the two parties. The temporary agency or the contracting employer may conduct the training and evaluation of operators from a temporary agency as required by the standard; however, the host employer (or other employer who enters into a contract with the temporary agency) must provide site-specific information and training on the use of the particular types of trucks and workplace-related topics that are present in the workplace.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

The OSHA standard requires that the employer certify that each operator has received the training and has been evaluated. The written certification record must include the name of the operator, the date of the training, the date of the evaluation, and the identity of the person(s) performing the training or evaluation.

Employers who evaluate the operator' s performance more frequently than every three years may retain the most recent certification record; otherwise, certification records must be maintained for three years.

ADDITIONAL OSHA INFORMATION

For more information, contact your local or Regional OSHA office (listed in the telephone directory under United States Government - Department of Labor - Occupational Safety and Health Administration).

OSHA also has a Home Page on the Internet.
The address is: http://www.osha.gov/