How long does forklift certification last? In line with OSHA regulations, all forklift drivers must have their training evaluated and refreshed every 3 years. That’s true whether you live in California or elsewhere in the United States.
OSHA continuously unrolls safety updates. This is in an effort to reduce the chances of your business being affected by forklift-related accidents – ones that can result in lost productivity at best. And injury at worst.
OSHA’s requirements could change yearly. By the time your 3 year-refresher rolls around, you could be unaware of key safety updates that affect and protect your workplace.
That’s why OSHA’s 3-year certification policy remains in place. And also why you shouldn’t expect this renewal requirement to disappear any time soon.
Ever wished you had an in-house forklift trainer? Being able to issue forklift operator certifications whenever you need to is very convenient.
The first step is to have a staff member with an OSHA forklift instructor certification. In this article, we’ll cover:
For course pricing or to view our upcoming schedule, visit our forklift trainer certification course page.
OSHA 1910.178 (l) (4) (iii) states “An evaluation of each Powered Industrial Truck operators performance shall be conducted at least once every 3 years”. Everyone knows that!
Yet failure to provide appropriate training remains one of the top five forklift-related OSHA violations year after year. Moreover, it's considered a "Serious" violation with a minimum fine of $1036 and a maximum fine of $15,625 (in 2023).
Why is the citation so common? Many companies aren't aware OSHA requires forklift refresher training more frequently than every three years following certain situations.
If you want to get a job driving a forklift in California, you need a forklift license. Getting a forklift license is similar to getting a driver's license, you have to prove you know what you're doing. The license also specifies what type of forklift that the operator is certified to use (electric, pneumatic tire, rough terrain, etc.) in the same way your driver's license might have a motorcycle or hazardous material endorsement.
According to OSHA, the major causes of injuries and fatalities involving aerial lifts are: collapses or tip-overs, falls and electrocution. Though OSHA classifies scissor lifts as a mobile scaffolds (not aerial lifts), the safety guidelines are similar.
Scissor lifts can be used in place of a boom lift in warehouses, construction, manufacturing, video shoots and a many other industries. Scissor lifts are different from other types of aerial lifts mainly because the mechanism that does the lifting is a set of crossed beams that extend and close like scissors.
In this article, we’ll review some important safety guidelines for using scissor lifts and OSHA / Cal OSHA requirements for training.
