Want to know why it is important to get OSHA forklift certified? Every year, there are tens of thousands of injuries reported that are related to forklift accidents. Of these cases, most are due to employees getting injured whenever fork lift trucks are accidentally driven off loading docks, whenever lifts fall between docks and unsecured trailers, whenever employees get hit by forklifts, or when they fall while standing on elevated tines and pallets. Aside from injury to people, most of the incidents involving forklifts will also include property damage, like damage to walls, pipes, overhead sprinklers, and other machinery. While injuries and damage to property are mostly purely accidental, ensuring that forklift operators have OSHA forklift certification will keep these accidents at bay. Getting an appropriate forklift licence will also include training on OSHA safety and how to prevent accidents.
Getting An OSHA Forklift Certification
At the very least, under the rules of OSHA forklift certification, you have to be at least 18 years of age in order to operate a forklift. Should you be over 18 years of age, you still can’t operate a forklift if you do not have OSHA forklift certification. Like other kinds of OSHA certifications, different standards are set for OSHA forklift certification under marine terminals, longshoring, and general industry. States in the US are also given the freedom to create their own policies and standards to ensure that policies and standards enforced in their areas will be truly suitable, and that includes terms for OSHA forklift certification. Before policies and standards can be enforced though, they have to pass through OSHA for approval. Aside from the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico, there are 25 states in the US that have opted to develop their own policies and standards and have had said policies and standards approved by OSHA.
Vehicle Maintenance For OSHA Forklift Certification
Part of being given OSHA forklift certification involves being adept in vehicle maintenance. Forklift mechanics are generally exposed to a number of hazardous materials, and aside from simply making a forklift potentially not safe for use, chemicals also pose health hazards to operators such as sensitization, irritation, carcinogenicity, and more physical dangers like reactivity, corrosion, and flammability. Forklift operators given OSHA forklift certification are authorized to do some of the vehicle maintenance required for forklifts, like refueling diesel, changing propane tanks, and servicing and recharging batteries. Those with OSHA forklift certification can also change antifreeze, oil, and other fluids needed by forklifts. Where OSHA forklift certification is provided, vehicles approved for use must be labeled or identified properly. Standards for vehicle approval are set based on the American National Standard for Powered Industrial Trucks, Part II, ANSI B56.1-1969.
Industry-Specific Standards For Forklift Safety
While OSHA forklift certification will apply to almost any industry, there are industries that are more susceptible to the dangers of forklifts so specific standards are in place for them. These industries include: airline, beverage delivery, construction, grocery warehousing, logging, maritime, meat packing, oil and well gas drilling and servicing, railroad, and wood products. Checking up on standards specific to your industry will help in ensuring safety in the workplace, on top of getting OSHA forklift certification.
Online OSHA Forklift Certification
Like other OSHA modules, OSHA forklift certification can be earned online. You simply have to register your company and yourself as a student and you can be done with your test in as early as 60 minutes. Online courses are available 24/7 so forklift operators can sign up and complete their tests at any time. When done, OSHA forklift certification and cards will be sent in your mail within 10 days. For visiting operators, employers must host OSHA forklift certification sessions. If you’re an employer, you can have almost anyone undergo training to receive OSHA forklift certification for as long as they are beyond 18 years of age since, as mentioned above, Federal law mandates an age requirement for forklift operators.