Are you wondering if you need forklift certification? The simplest answer is if you operate a forklift, you need to be certified. Why? OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, requires certification in an effort to make the workplace safer. In order for a jobsite, whether it is construction, manufacturing or a shipyard to be in compliance with OSHA, everyone who operates a forklift needs to be certified.
What Is Forklift Certification?
Each year, an average of 100 people die in forklift accidents that could have been avoided. A staggering 20,000 people are injured each year in forklift accidents. Although load capacities vary depending on the machine, the average load on a forklift is 4 to 5,000 pounds. This means the kinds of accidents that can happen can be life altering. OSHA statistics show that the more training one receives the less likely an accident is to occur.
What Are Some Of The Factors That Contribute To Forklift Accidents?
The number one cause of forklift accidents is improper training or lack of training. This is why it is so important to train and certify all individuals who operate powered industrial trucks. This includes people who operate forklifts, motorized hand trucks and tractors. Specifically, the following actions contribute to forklift accidents:
- Improper turning and back up techniques
- Not utilizing the right tools or forklift attachments and accessories
- Working and walking being done around the forklift while it is being operated
- Cluttered, narrow and poorly marked and maintained aisles
- Horseplay including stunt driving, speeding and giving rides
What Is Covered In Training?
When you train for forklift certification, you will have both classroom instruction as well as training done on a forklift. The classroom instruction is very important, and includes the following:
- Procedures for loading the forklift, which includes learning how to stabilize a forklift
- Learning to identify unsafe work environments
- Responding to forklift emergencies, including how to respond and consequences of unsafe operation
During your classroom training you will probably watch DVDs and receive handouts. It is important to pay attention. Make notes if you have to. Remember that the training will benefit you and your employer in many ways. OSHA compliance is important on a jobsite and when it is not met fines and penalties can occur.
As A Supervisor, Am I Responsible For Training My Employees?
If you are a supervisor or other salaried personnel on a jobsite, you need to make sure the people who report to you are forklift certified if they are using a forklift. Allowing a non-certified person to operate a forklift even once is not acceptable, and can result in fines and penalties being applied to your employer, as well as a possible jobsite shutdown.
Does My Forklift Certification Need To Be Renewed?
Yes. Every type of forklift certification must be renewed. This is per federal regulation. Many companies and organizations offer this recertification. Make sure the recertification you receive is OSHA approved, because that is the most important standard regardless of the type of work site.