Thompson & Johnson - Forklift Operator Training

Forklift Operator Training
By Bill Reaver and Tony Beach

Forklift safety training has been required since the inception of OSHA in the early 1970s. The standards, as follows, were written for training and were very general and open to interpretation: 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.

Looking Back
Employers had no guidelines for what constituted proper training. Consequently, training ran the gamut from simply pointing out the controls to the operator and letting them go, to seven days of intensive off-site training. There was no clear understanding of what was considered proper or compliant training. In some cases, employers found out too late that they had insufficient training. The result was injuries, heavy fines and/or damaged product. During this period, employers generally looked to their forklift distributor for any type of formal instruction.

As a result of the inadequacies in OSHA's standards, the Industrial Truck Association (ITA) petitioned OSHA on March 15, 1988 to be more specific in its training requirements. The American National Standard Institute (ANSI), in cooperation with the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), revised the requirements four times before OSHA published a proposed ruling on March 14, 1995. Finally, on December 1, 1998, OSHA published the final ruling for Powered Industrial Truck Operator Training. This new ruling applies to all industries with the exception of agricultural operations. Employers were required to be compliant with the new rules by December 1, 1999. This meant that employers needed to evaluate their training programs to make sure that their training was appropriate to meet the new standards. These additions to the standards clarify what is necessary to ensure proper training and leave less room for interpretation.

Are the Days of Saturday Classes Gone?
Typically, training has been done either on-site or off-site by the forklift distributor, an independent trainer, or with a program that was purchased or designed by the employer. Forklift distributors would often hold Saturday classes for their customers and train several operators from many different companies and applications. In many cases, operators were shown some videos, given a test, placed on an unfamiliar forklift, asked to drive around some orange cones, patted on the head and given a certificate and a wallet card that proclaimed them to be certified operators (Did anybody really fail?).

These classes were very general and did not cover any specifics of facilities or unique operating conditions and equipment. If the forklift distributor did on-site training, it was conducted at a customer's location but it was the same general, canned class. The only benefit was that operators could at least drive their own forklifts through the orange cones.

This type of training was all that was required to comply with the former standard. OSHA currently requires that operators be trained to the specific conditions of the operating area and the specific equipment they will be operating. The training must be formal and include a hands-on evaluation. The trainers must have the knowledge, skills or experience to create safe forklift operators.

If your trainers are not complying with all of the new OSHA regulations, you may be opening yourself up to liability issues. An injury or death involving a forklift, whether to a pedestrian or an operator, is often followed by a lawsuit. It is important to be able to prove that complete training has been done, covering every aspect of safe forklift operation and complying with the standard set by OSHA.

Equipment distributors who have training programs can provide a skilled and experienced trainer to work with operators. Some employers have in-house training programs and choose to do the training themselves. Whether trained by a professional trainer or in-house, the employer must ensure that each operator has been effectively trained.

Operator Training
One of the major changes to the OSHA regulations is the addition of facility and equipment specific training. To ensure proper training, trainers should begin by surveying the operating area or facility and documenting any hazards or conditions that may affect forklift operation. This information should be included in training materials and/or class discussions. The survey must also include information about the type of equipment the operators will be using. Operators need to know specifics such as capacity, attachments, controls, and equipment inspection and maintenance procedures.

Hands-on evaluation should be done based on conditions found at the facility regarding the operating area, load, etc.

Train the Trainer
With the new regulation, this type of training is on the rise. Customers benefit from having their own trainer for cost effectiveness and convenience.

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that the person doing the training, whether an outside or an in-house trainer, is following the new regulations mandated by OSHA. This new training requirement finally gives trainers the guidelines necessary to make an attempt at creating a comprehensive and consistent forklift training program that benefits employers and operators across the country.

Bill Reaver and Tony Beach are co-founders of Forklift Training Pro, LLL in Albuquerque, New Mexico.