Training Program Implementation
Training Program Implementation
Training and evaluation shall be conducted by a person with the knowledge, training, and experience to instruct powered industrial truck operators and evaluate their competence.
Trainees may only operate a powered industrial truck:
- Under direct supervision of a person who has the knowledge, training and experience to train operators and evaluate their competence; and where such operation does not endanger the trainee or other.
Training shall consist of a combination of:
- Formal instruction (e.g., lecture, discussion, interaction, computer learning, written material).
- Practical training (demonstrations and exercises performed by the trainee).
- Evaluation of the operator’s performance in the workplace.
These workplace-related topics to include in forklift operator training include:
- Surface conditions where the vehicle will be operated, including slippery conditions, uneven surfaces, surfaces with obstructions, floor load limits, and overhead clearance.
- Composition of loads to be carried, including load weight, load size, and load position; load capacity; and maximum load moment.
- Load stability and balance.
- Load handling, manipulation, stacking, and unstacking, including safe handling preparation, approaching the load, mast position, fork position, lifting the load, lowering the load, high tiering, truck trailers, and railroad cars.
- Pedestrian traffic in areas where the vehicle will be operated, including rules and limits for using the forklift to move personnel and maintaining distance from pedestrians.
- Narrow aisles and other restricted places where the vehicle will be operated, including any necessary training on reach trucks, order pickers, and safe stacking rules if applicable/necessary.
- Hazardous (classified) locations where the vehicle will be operated, including training on designated locations, indoor air quality, and carbon monoxide.
- Ramps, grades, and other sloped surfaces that could affect the vehicle’s stability, including training for traveling with a load (forks upgrade) and traveling empty (forks downgrade).
- Closed environments and other areas where insufficient ventilation or poor vehicle maintenance could cause a buildup of carbon monoxide or diesel exhaust.
- Other unique or potentially hazardous environmental conditions in the workplace that could affect safe operation.
