Employers are not required to replicate previous training of a new operator according to lift truck rules. Training however needs to be supplemented in order to deal with particular workplace hazards and specific workplace machinery. Like for instance, an operator doesn't have to be trained to be able to maneuver a forklift on a ramp if that work place does not have a ramp; however, if the operator is really assigned to work somewhere which has a ramp, it is essential that extra training must be offered.
Trainees are only allowed to utilize lift trucks under direct supervision of only people who have the necessary training and knowledge to train and evaluate the trainees competence on the forklift. The trainees could just learn in a setting where such operation does not endanger other employees or the trainee themselves.
It is vital to make a practical assessment in the workplace. If a third party training provider is chosen, it is better to have the training occur at the workplace, using lift trucks at the workplace to be as precise as possible.
An operator is said to be qualified once they have successfully passed the training with records maintained by the employer. The certification needs to include the name of the operator, the date of training, and the name of the individual performing the training and evaluation and lastly the date of evaluation. Though some state OSHA bodies require the issue of an operator's certificate, the Federal OSHA does not require it.
Every three years, refresher training is necessary. It could also become mandatory to those operators who have shown some kind of deficiency in safe lift truck use. For instance, refresher training would be triggered by some occurrences including: if there is an accident or a near miss, if a different kind of lift truck is introduced to the workplace, if an operator received a poor 3 year evaluation and if a supervisor observes operating unsafely.
It has to be noted that refresher training is not always the solution when unsafe use is noticed. For example, if an operator is disobeying workplace safety regulations willfully, it may be essential to implement disciplinary action. And finally, even if training lift truck operators is a requirement, it is necessary to practice lift truck awareness training for other employees working in the vicinity of forklifts and pedestrians in order to ensure everyone would be safe.