Forklift Operator Training (OSHA 1910.178)

OSHA's powered industrial trucks standard, 29 CFR 1910.178(l), says an operator may drive a forklift only after training and an evaluation of their performance. The training must combine formal instruction, practical training and an evaluation of the operator in the workplace. This two-day course provides all three. Day one covers the truck, its stability and the hazards of the workplace. Day two is spent on the truck: pre-use inspection, maneuvering, load handling and stacking, refueling or battery charging, and the practical evaluation. OSHA does not issue a forklift license. Your employer certifies that each operator has been trained and evaluated, and that certification records the operator's name, the training date, the evaluation date and who did the training or evaluation. We give each participant a certificate of attendance, and give your employer the training and evaluation records it needs. Operators must be evaluated again at least every three years. They also need refresher training after an accident or near miss, unsafe driving, a failed evaluation, a change to a different type of truck, or a change in the workplace that affects safe operation. This course is the hands-on operator qualification. Our online course "Warehouse and Forklift Safety" covers warehouse safety in general and does not replace it.