How to get Forklift Certification
Federal OSHA proposed the revised training rule in the Federal Register on 12/1/98. The date by which employers were required to be in compliance with this revised rule was 12/1/99. OR-OSHA’s revised operator training requirements {Div 2/Sub N 29 CFR 1910.178(l)} apply to general industry, construction, and maritime activities.
OSHA estimates compliance with this revised training rule will prevent fatalities and injuries to the nearly 1.5 million employees who operate forklifts. Furthermore, complying with this revision will reduce the significant risk of death and injury to others caused by the unsafe operation of powered industrial trucks driven by untrained or inadequately trained operators.
Based on the number of forklifts (1 million), approx. 2/3 are involved in a mishap during their normal 8 year work life.
Studies showed a 70% reduction in operator errors following training.
OSHA estimates this revised rule will prevent 11 deaths and 9,422 injuries per year in general industry workplaces and 3 to 4 deaths and 463 to 601 serious disabling injuries each year in the construction industry.
The rule before the 1999 revision:
“Only trained and authorized operators shall be permitted to operate a powered industrial truck. Methods shall be devised to train operators in the safe operation of powered industrial trucks.”
The rule after the 1999 revision:
- Clarifies training methods and content
- Requires evaluation and retraining
- Requires “certification”
- Provides an avoidance of duplicative training
- Includes info on stability!
The first change occurs early in the revised rule. It basically replaces the word “trained” with “competent”.
Each powered industrial truck operator must be competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely.
The employer should determine that each potential operator of a powered industrial truck is capable of performing the duties that are required of the job.
The Trainer The person(s) training your powered industrial truck operators must have the knowledge,training, and experience to train operators and evaluate their competence.
What is your definition of competent?
What abilities should be considered?
Prior to permitting an employee to operate a powered industrial truck (except for training purposes), the employer must ensure that each operator has successfully completed the training required by this rule, except as permitted under Duplicative Training
What do you look for when determining your trainer?
Training Methods
Operator training must consist of a combination of:
1. Formal training
2. Practical training
3. Evaluation of their performance in the workplace