Forklifts and Powered Industrial Trucks: Operator Training and Safe Operation

Forklifts are heavy, carry raised loads, and share floor space with people on foot. OSHA's powered industrial truck standard sets safety requirements for the fire protection, design, maintenance, and use of these trucks (1910.178(a)(1)). It asks you to train and evaluate operators, enforce operating rules, examine trucks, and pull unsafe trucks out of service.

Who it applies to

The standard covers fork trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines. It does not apply to compressed air or nonflammable compressed gas-operated industrial trucks, farm vehicles, or vehicles intended primarily for earth moving or over-the-road hauling (1910.178(a)(1)).

What the standard requires

Modifications, attachments, and nameplates

• Modifications and additions that affect capacity and safe operation must not be performed by the customer or user without the manufacturer's prior written approval (1910.178(a)(4)).
• If the truck has front-end attachments other than factory installed attachments, the user must request that the truck be marked to identify the attachments and show the approximate weight of the truck and attachment combination at maximum elevation with the load laterally centered (1910.178(a)(5)).
• The user must see that all nameplates and markings are in place and are maintained in a legible condition (1910.178(a)(6)).

Truck operations

• Unauthorized personnel must not be permitted to ride on trucks. Where riding is authorized, a safe place to ride must be provided (1910.178(m)(3)).
• No person may be allowed to stand or pass under the elevated portion of any truck, loaded or empty (1910.178(m)(2)).

Unattended trucks. A truck is unattended when the operator is 25 feet or more away from a truck that remains in view, or whenever the operator leaves it and it is not in view (1910.178(m)(5)(ii)). When a truck is left unattended, the load engaging means must be fully lowered, controls neutralized, power shut off, and brakes set. Wheels must be blocked if the truck is parked on an incline (1910.178(m)(5)(i)).

Traveling

• All traffic regulations must be observed, including authorized plant speed limits. A safe distance of approximately three truck lengths must be maintained from the truck ahead (1910.178(n)(1)).
• The driver must be required to slow down and sound the horn at cross aisles and other locations where vision is obstructed. If the load obstructs forward view, the driver must be required to travel with the load trailing (1910.178(n)(4)).
• Grades must be ascended or descended slowly (1910.178(n)(7)). On grades in excess of 10 percent, loaded trucks must be driven with the load upgrade (1910.178(n)(7)(i)).

Loading

• Only stable or safely arranged loads may be handled (1910.178(o)(1)).
• Only loads within the truck's rated capacity may be handled (1910.178(o)(2)).

Examinations and unsafe trucks

Trucks must be examined before being placed in service, and must not be placed in service if the examination shows any condition adversely affecting the safety of the vehicle. The examination must be made at least daily. Where trucks are used on a round-the-clock basis, they must be examined after each shift. Defects, when found, must be immediately reported and corrected (1910.178(q)(7)).

If at any time a truck is found to be in need of repair, defective, or in any way unsafe, it must be taken out of service until it has been restored to safe operating condition (1910.178(p)(1)).

Training

You must ensure that each operator is competent to operate a truck safely, as demonstrated by successful completion of the training and evaluation in paragraph (l) (1910.178(l)(1)(i)). This must happen before you permit an employee to operate a truck, except for training purposes and except as permitted by paragraph (l)(5) (1910.178(l)(1)(ii)).

How it is delivered. Training must consist of a combination of formal instruction (such as lecture or video), practical training (trainer demonstrations and trainee exercises), and evaluation of the operator's performance in the workplace (1910.178(l)(2)(ii)).

Who may train. All training and evaluation must be conducted by persons who have the knowledge, training, and experience to train operators and evaluate their competence (1910.178(l)(2)(iii)). Trainees may operate a truck only under the direct supervision of such persons, and only where it does not endanger the trainee or other employees (1910.178(l)(2)(i)).

Content. Initial training must cover the listed topics, except topics you can demonstrate are not applicable to safe operation of the truck in your workplace (1910.178(l)(3)):

• Truck-related topics, such as operating instructions for the types of truck the operator will be authorized to operate, controls, attachments, capacity, stability, and refueling or battery charging (1910.178(l)(3)(i)).
• Workplace-related topics, such as surface conditions, loads, pedestrian traffic, narrow aisles, ramps, and closed environments where carbon monoxide or diesel exhaust could build up (1910.178(l)(3)(ii)).
• The requirements of the standard itself (1910.178(l)(3)(iii)).

Refresher training. Refresher training must include an evaluation of the effectiveness of that training (1910.178(l)(4)(i)). Refresher training in relevant topics must be provided to the operator when (1910.178(l)(4)(ii)):

• The operator has been observed operating the vehicle in an unsafe manner
• The operator has been involved in an accident or near-miss incident
• An evaluation reveals that the operator is not operating the truck safely
• The operator is assigned to drive a different type of truck
• A condition in the workplace changes in a manner that could affect safe operation of the truck

Three year evaluation. An evaluation of each operator's performance must be conducted at least once every three years (1910.178(l)(4)(iii)).

Prior training. If an operator was previously trained in a topic and that training is appropriate to the truck and working conditions encountered, more training in that topic is not required if the operator has been evaluated and found competent to operate the truck safely (1910.178(l)(5)).

Written programs and records

You must certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated. The certification must include (1910.178(l)(6)):

• The name of the operator
• The date of the training
• The date of the evaluation
• The identity of the person or persons performing the training or evaluation

Easy-to-miss requirements

• A nearby operator still has to secure the truck. When the operator is dismounted and within 25 feet of the truck, still in view, the load engaging means must be fully lowered, controls neutralized, and brakes set (1910.178(m)(5)(iii)).
• Plates must match the modification. After a modification or addition that affects capacity and safe operation, capacity, operation, and maintenance instruction plates, tags, or decals must be changed accordingly (1910.178(a)(4)).
• Attachments change how you operate. Trucks equipped with attachments must be operated as partially loaded trucks when not handling a load (1910.178(o)(4)).

Related guides

• Walking-working surfaces
• Lockout/tagout

Source

This guide is based on the text of 29 CFR 1910.178 as published on osha.gov. The regulation itself always controls. States that run their own OSHA-approved State Plans may have additional or stricter rules.