Forklift Driving Certification

Forklift driver training varies depending on the truck and the operating environment.

To be certified to drive a forklift, an operator must meet training requirements laid out by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This training consists of lecture or classroom-style training, supervised driving and periodic refresher training. The specific content of the training and the amount of time until the operator is certified varies from workplace to workplace.

Classroom Training

Lecture-style classroom training is the first step in being certified to drive a forklift. An operator learns the specifications of the truck she will be driving, including the power source, be it diesel, propane or a battery, how to refuel or recharge the truck, and safety measures specific to the forklift she will be driving. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) does not place a requirement for the number of hours in the classroom, but oral and/or written tests may be part of the training.

Supervised Driving

The operator next learns to drive each type of forklift he will be operating in the workplace. Supervised driving must include the actual environment in which the driver will be operating the forklift, including nearby pedestrian and vehicle traffic, the terrain on which he will be driving, and among the structures he will be driving, including warehouse aisles with shelving. OSHA does not place a minimum number of supervised driving hours on the operator; it is up to the supervisor to determine when the driver has been trained.

Refresher Training

Once the driver has completed the classroom and supervised training requirements, she is certified to drive the forklift. She must, however, complete periodic refresher training to ensure she maintains her knowledge of the equipment, especially the safety considerations. OSHA does not say how often the refresher training must be given, or what it must consist of. If the driver regularly operates a forklift, refresher training typically consists primarily of classroom training. If the operator does not drive a forklift often, the refresher training will include some supervised driving.

Transferring Certification

While the driver's knowledge will obviously follow him from job to job, his certification does not, because each work environment is unique, and he may be operating different types of forklifts in his new job. He must, then, be re-certified if he moves to a new job. Because he has some prior knowledge, that certification may come more quickly than it did the first time.

Exceptions

OSHA does not require people operating Class VI (tow tractor) and Class VII (rough terrain) forklifts in agricultural settings to receive forklift driver certification to operate the machinery on a farm. However, those operating these lift trucks in industrial, construction, logging or other environments must be certified on the correct machinery in the proper environment.

References

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Powered Industrial Truck Regulations