According to the forklift regulations, an employer is not required to replicate past training of a new operator. To be able to deal with specific workplace hazards and specific workplace machinery, training has to be supplemented. Like for example, an operator doesn't have to be trained in order to navigate a forklift on a ramp if that work place does not contain a ramp; nonetheless, if the operator is really assigned to work somewhere which has a ramp, it is necessary that extra training must be provided.
Trainees are just allowed to use forklifts under direct supervision of just those who have the necessary knowledge and training to train and evaluate the trainees skill on the forklift. The trainees could only learn in a setting where such operation does not put in danger other employees or the trainee themselves.
Making a practical assessment within the workplace is also necessary. If a third party training provider is chosen, it is wise to have the training happen at the jobsite, utilizing lift trucks at the workplace to be as accurate as possible.
An operator is said to be certified when they have successfully passed the training with records maintained by the employer. The certification must include the name of the operator, the date of training, and the name of the person performing the evaluation and training and finally the evaluation date. Even though certain state OSHA bodies require the issue of an operator's certificate, the Federal OSHA does not need it.
Every three years, refresher training is essential. It could also become mandatory to those operators who have shown some type of deficiency in safe lift truck use. Like for instance, refresher training would be triggered by certain instances including: if there is a near miss or an accident, if a different type 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. Like for example, if an operator is disobeying workplace safety rules deliberately, it can be essential to implement disciplinary action. And last but not least, even if training lift truck operators is a requirement, it is necessary to practice lift truck awareness training for other staff working in the vicinity of forklifts and pedestrians so as to ensure everybody will be safe.