An untrained operator of a forklift can be as dangerous as an unlicensed operator of a motor vehicle.
OSHA regulations require that the employer ensure that a forklift operator is competent to operate the forklift he or she is assigned to use. Training must be conducted by a competent person. The employer must document operator training and an evaluation of the operator’s performance while using the forklift.
Initial forklift training has three parts:
Refresher training must be given if the operator has been involved in an accident, near miss or unsafe operations. Also, if an operator is assigned to a new type of forklift or if workplace conditions change that could affect safety, then refresher training is required.
1. Which of the following lists the three components of forklift training?
a. Formal instruction, practical training, and evaluationThe employer may use the services of a qualified third-party trainer or formally designate and authorize an employee as a competent person to conduct the training. A competent person has demonstrated competency through knowledge, training and experience to train and evaluate forklift operators.
The trainee can only operate the forklift when directly supervised by a competent person and when this would not endanger anyone.
Forklift operators must be trained in the operating instructions, warnings and precautions for the types of forklifts they will be authorized to use. The topics listed below must be covered when training a forklift operator. If a specific topic does not apply to the forklift in the employer’s workplace, covering it is optional.
Check out this short audio clip by Dan Clark of the theSafetyBrief.com. Forklift violations can be dangerous to workers, and lead to costly OSHA citations. Listen for some of the top forklift violations, and how to avoid them.
2. Who may conduct forklift safety training?
a. Third-party trainers or competent personsAdditional general forklift training topics include:
Workplace-specific training topics that should be covered include:
3. Which of the following topics would be taught during workplace-specific forklift training?
a. Vehicle capacity and stabilityRefresher PIT-forklift training may be required if any of the following situations exist:
In some instances, progressive discipline may be the appropriate response to observed operator performance. Retraining may not be the proper response to inadequate operator performance if any of the following situations exist:
Retraining may include some or all of the following information, as necessary:
4. Which of the following situations may require forklift retraining?
a. A new forklift operator has been hiredPrior to qualifying an operator, it’s important to evaluate performance to determine any areas of deficiency in knowledge or skills.
Here is a sample performance checklist for use in the evaluation phase of operator qualification. You should include this evaluation as part of the operator certification. The operator must perform each of the actions below to the satisfaction of the evaluator to qualify. Any areas of deficiency in knowledge or skills must result in operator retraining.
The employer should formally certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated. The employer should do the following to properly document the training.
The employer must keep a record that shows that each forklift operator has been trained. We recommend keeping training records for as long as the operator is employed plus at least five additional years or as the employer deems appropriate.
5. To be certified as a forklift operator, he or she must have been evaluated in the current workplace _____.
a. within the last five yearsRead the material in each section to find the correct answer to each quiz question. After answering all the questions, click on the "Check Quiz Answers" button to grade your quiz and see your score. You will receive a message if you forgot to answer one of the questions. After clicking the button, the questions you missed will be listed below. You can correct any missed questions and check your answers again.