Employers are not required to repeat past training of a new operator according to lift truck regulations. Training nonetheless needs to be supplemented so as to deal with certain workplace risks and specific workplace machinery. Like for example, an operator doesn't need to be trained in order to steer a lift truck on a ramp if that place of work does not have a ramp; then again, if the operator is actually assigned to work someplace which has a ramp, it is vital that additional training should be provided.
Trainees are just allowed to operate lift trucks under direct supervision of just those who have the necessary knowledge and training to train and assess the trainees competence on the lift truck. The trainees can just learn in an environment where such operation does not put in danger other employees or the trainee themselves.
It is necessary 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 jobsite, using lift trucks at the workplace to be as precise as possible.
Once an operator has successfully passed training with records maintained by the employer, they are said to be certified. The certification must contain the name of the operator, the training date, and the name of the individual performing the evaluation and training and finally the date of assessment. Though some state OSHA bodies require the issue of an operator's certificate, the Federal OSHA does not need it.
Every three years, refresher training is required. It could also become mandatory to those operators who have shown some type of deficiency in safe lift truck operation. For example, refresher training would be triggered by some occurrences like for instance: if there is a near miss or an accident, if a different kind of lift truck is introduced to the workplace, if a supervisor observes operating unsafely and if an operator received a poor 3 year evaluation.
When unsafe operation of a forklift is noticed, it must be noticed that refresher training is not always the solution. For instance, if an operator is disobeying workplace safety rules deliberately, it could be necessary to implement disciplinary action. And last but not least, even if training lift truck operators is a requirement, it is essential to practice forklift awareness training for pedestrians and other employees working near forklifts in order to make certain that everybody would be safe.