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.

1910.178(a)(1): This section contains safety requirements relating to fire protection, design, maintenance, and use of fork trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines.

All training and evaluation must be conducted by persons with the necessary knowledge, training and experience to train powered industrial truck operators and evaluate their competence.

No.  It is the employer’s responsibility to train the employees.

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

OSHA’s goal is to reduce the number of injuries and illnesses that occur to workers in the workplace from unsafe powered industrial truck usage.  By providing an effective training program many other benefits will result.  Among these are the lower cost of compensation insurance, less property damage, and less product damage.

1910.178.(I) Operator Training
1910.178.(I)(1) Safe Operation

1910.178.(I)(1)(i) The employer shall ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely, as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation specified in this paragraph (I).

1910.178.(I)(1)(ii) Prior to permitting an employee to operate a powered industrial truck (except for training purposes), the employer shall ensure that each operator has successfully completed the training required by this paragraph (I), except as permitted by paragraph (I)(5).

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.

Any employee that operates a powered industrial truck must be trained.

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.

We Are The Best In The Business

“I want to thank you again for the training you performed for my employees at Watson’s Produce. Not only did my employees appreciate the training they received, but I appreciate the additional documentation and signage you provide the make my job as General Manager easier. Recently I had a visit from OSHA that involved specifically looking for whether my employees were forklift safety trained. All I had to do was shown them the documentation of your training and with the safety signage and procedures you put in place. Watson’s Produce passed their inspection with ease! I look forward to seeing you again when new employees need certification and training updates are required.”

– Paul Lazecki