Forklift Training Downloads, Answers, & Guides

Free Forklift Training Downloads

Forklift Training Q&A

Which forklift training programs are OSHA certified?: None. OSHA does not certify forklift training programs. OSHA requires the employer to make a judgement call as to how comprehensive the training needs to be to fit the workplace.

Does every employee need to carry a wallet card "license"?: No. OSHA only requires that training be documented; giving employees wallet cards is not a requirement. Documentation is best done using a training/certification sheet that lists all the employees and their date of training. Licenses can be given in addition to maintaining the training/certification sheets but the licenses should not be relied upon to meet OSHA's documentation requirement as workers will undoubtedly lose them from time to time.

Do forklift operators need to document their forklift inspections?: No. OSHA only requires that employees conduct forklift inspections at the beginning of every shift, it does not require that these inspections are documented. If you do choose to document these inspections, you can actually be fined if gaps exist within the documentation. A good way to handle this is to have a whiteboard that gets wiped regularly where inspections are marked. This way the safety manager can visually verify that the inspections are taking place without creating additional compliance burden.

Does OSHA require annual refresher training?

No. OSHA requires refresher training in all of the following scenarios:

An operator has been observed being unsafe.
An operator has been involved in an accident or near miss.
An operator has been assigned to a new type of forklift that he has not been previously trained on.
Every 3 years, the operator must undergo an evaluation. If the evaluation reveals that the operator is driving the forklift in an unsafe manner then the operator must undergo refresher training.
Condition(s) change in the workplace that present new hazards.

Who can conduct the training and evaluation?: OSHA's official stance is that trainers can be anyone with the "knowledge, training, and experience" to train forklift operators and evaluate their competence. If someone has several years of experience driving forklifts then that is probably enough to qualify them as a trainer but only for the forklift types that they have experience operating. To be certain that your employee is qualified, you can send them to receive "train the trainer" training from a consulting company.

OSHA Compliant Forklift Training In 3 Steps

Formal Instruction

This is also known as the "classroom" portion of the training. Most companies meet this portion by showing a DVD but it can also be met by taking an online class or by someone giving a powerpoint presentation in the conference room.
- Forklift Training DVD - $299
- Forklift Training Powerpoint - Free
- Online Forklift Training - $29.95 per employee
Practical Training

This is the "hands-on" training portion that typically takes place in the warehouse. The instructor will go through the controls of the forklift and the various nuances of that particular job site.
- Forklift Handbook - Free
- Forklift Damage Inspection Checklist - Free
Visual Evaluation

The trainee will use the forklift and show to the trainer that he/she can operate it safely.
- Operator Evaluation Checklist - Free
- Printable Wallet Cards - Free

Forklift Training Videos - Sample Clip

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Forklift Training Videos

Training Format Comparison Chart

Price	DVD Kit $299	Online Training See Pricing	In-Person Training $5,000 - $10,000
PROS	DVD cost effectively trains and retrains an unlimited amount of employees. No trainer required, just pop in and play. Video content keeps trainees engaged.	Very convenient, multiple employees don't need to be pulled off the floor at once for a training session. Includes both video content and an interactive quiz element to keep workers engaged.	More engaging than traditional training formats. Can be customized to fit a companies specific work environment and equipment. The only training option that can cover the "hands on" and "evaluation" portions of the training in addition to the "classroom" portion of the training.
CONS	Can be difficult to pull multiple workers off the floor at once to watch the video. The DVD can get lost or scratched. DVD can only train workers at a single location.	Due to the per person pricing format, it's expensive for large companies that need to train hundreds or thousands of employees.	By far the most expensive training medium. Administering refresher training as well as initial training for new employees can be a logistical nightmare.

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