Powered industrial trucks include forklifts, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric or internal combustion engines. Forklift operators must have classroom instruction, hands-on training, and an evaluation to determine their competency. The evaluation must take place in the workplace so the trainer can observe the operator perform typical tasks in the operator’s typical environment. A third party vendor can provide the training and the evaluation; however, training outside of the operator’s workplace must be supplemented with on-site training that covers site-specific hazards and tasks the operator will be performing.

Supervisors must ensure that each of their employee operators has been trained, evaluated, and certified. The certification must include the operator’s name, the trainer’s name, and the training and evaluation dates.

  • Become OSU certified?
    • You can meet the requirements described in the introductory paragraphs above by:
    • Completing classroom training via OSU Forklift training, or other source as that meets the regulatory content requirements.
    • Receive hands-on training from your operational unit’s qualified trainer.
    • Qualified trainer completes the Forklift Operator Evaluation. The completed evaluation shall be maintained per the operational unit’s standard practices.
    • Complete the Forklift Quiz. You will be sent a certification card.
  • Maintain my certification?
    • Operators must be re-evaluated at least once every three years and receive refresher training:
    • When the operator is observed operating the forklift unsafely
    • After a forklift accident or near-miss incident
    • When the operator is assigned to operate another type of forklift
    • When there is a change in the workplace that could affect the safe operation of the forklift

  • Become a qualified trainer?

    Anyone can become a qualified trainer so long as they have the knowledge, training, and experience necessary to train others how to safely operate the PIT in the workplace. In general, the trainer will only have sufficient "experience" if she has the practical skills and judgment to be able to operate the equipment safely under the conditions prevailing in the workplace. For example, if the employer uses certain PIT attachments and the trainer has never operated a PIT with those attachments, the trainer would not have the experience necessary to adequately train and evaluate others on the safe use of those attachments. However, the standard does not require that trainers operate a PIT regularly (i.e., outside of their operator training duties) as part of their job function or responsibility.

OR-OSHA: