OSHA’s powered-industrial-truck standard places responsibility on the employer to ensure each operator is competent to operate safely. The training program must address the type of truck and the conditions in the actual workplace.
This is one of the clearest examples of why an LMS should separate online knowledge training from hands-on training and workplace evaluation.
The three required elements
Lecture, discussion, interactive computer learning, video, written material or similar instruction.
Trainer demonstrations plus practical exercises performed by the trainee.
Evaluation of the operator’s performance in the workplace before the employer determines the operator is competent.
What topics must training address?
The standard lists truck-related and workplace-related topics, subject to applicability. Examples include controls and instrumentation, steering and maneuvering, visibility, fork and attachment operation, vehicle capacity and stability, inspections and maintenance the operator performs, pedestrian traffic, narrow aisles, ramps, hazardous locations and other workplace conditions that affect safe operation.
Is forklift refresher training required every three years?
The three-year rule is often misunderstood. OSHA requires each operator’s performance to be evaluated at least once every three years. Refresher training is triggered when, among other things, the operator has been observed operating unsafely, is involved in an accident or near miss, receives an evaluation showing unsafe operation, is assigned a different truck type, or workplace conditions change in a way that could affect safe operation.
What must the employer certify?
The employer must certify that the operator has been trained and evaluated. OSHA specifies that certification include the operator’s name, training date, evaluation date and the identity of the person or persons performing the training or evaluation.
Can a third-party course make someone “forklift certified”?
A third-party course can provide part of the formal instruction. The employer still has to ensure the required practical training and workplace evaluation are completed by people with the knowledge, training and experience to train operators and evaluate competence. The authorization must match the trucks and workplace conditions involved.
Primary sources
Use the current regulation and agency guidance for decisions about your workplace. These links were reviewed when this resource was published.
Important boundary
This resource is general educational information, not a legal determination that a particular OSHA, state-plan, DOT or other requirement applies to your company. Applicability depends on industry, jurisdiction, tasks, exposures, equipment, employee duties and other facts.