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Forklift overturns are the leading cause of fatalities involving forklifts and they represent about 25% of all forklift-related deaths.
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Sample Daily Checklists for Powered Industrial Trucks. Prepared by OSHA and the Industrial Trucking Association (ITA) Alliance. OSHA notes that this checklist and related graphics were developed in cooperation with the ITA as part of the OSHA-ITA Alliance.

Sample Daily Checklists for Powered Industrial Trucks. Prepared by the UAW-Ford National Joint Committee on Health and Safety. OSHA thanks the UAW-Ford National Joint Committee on Health and Safety for granting permission to use the checklists and related graphics.

Protecting Young Workers: Prohibition Against Young Workers Operating Forklifts. OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin (SHIB), (September 30, 2003). Informs employers that youth employment regulations (29 CFR 570) promulgated under the Fair Labor Standards Act prohibit most employees under the age of 18 years from operating forklifts for non-agricultural operations and reminds employers that all forklift operators must be trained and certified.

Related Topics
Related Topics
Powered Industrial Trucks (Forklift). OSHA eTool. Provides information on OSHA's Powered Industrial Truck requirements [29 CFR 1910.178] and industry best practices.

Other Resources

Occupational health and safety information that applies to specific activities related to powered industrial trucks is also available, including: Loading and Unloading, Working with Hazardous Materials, and Vehicle Maintenance.

Training

  • Powered Industrial Trucks. OSHA. Includes downloadable outreach training materials for the powered industrial truck operator training standard.

  • National Agriculture (Ag) Safety Database
  • Forklift Safety Guide [3 MB PDF, 42 pages]. Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. Provides resources and regulations for truck operator safety.

  • How to Use the Hazardous Materials Regulations CFR 49 Parts 100 to 185. U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Provides a simple overview of the complex, hazardous materials regulations.

  • Fact Sheet No. 2: Preventing Injury Related to Powered Industrial Trucks with Effective Training [87 KB PDF*, 2 pages]. OSHA and the NSC Alliance (August 2011). The Alliance participants developed a fact sheet addressing effective training of powered industrial truck operators, including tips on what employers can do to help protect workers.

  • Training Requirements. U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Defines a HAZMAT employee as someone who works for a HAZMAT employer and directly affects HAZMAT transportation safety, including:

    An owner-operator of a motor vehicle that transports HAZMAT; a person (including a self-employed person) who:
    • Loads, unloads, or handles HAZMAT;
    • Tests, reconditions, repairs, modifies, marks, or otherwise represents packagings as qualified for use in the transportation of HAZMAT;
    • Prepares HAZMAT for transportation;
    • Is responsible for safety of transporting HAZMAT; or
    • Operates a vehicle used to transport HAZMAT.

    HAZMAT employer means a company with employees involved in:
    • Transporting HAZMAT in commerce;
    • Causing HAZMAT to be transported or shipped in commerce; or
    • Representing, marking, certifying, selling, offering, reconditioning, testing, repairing, or modifying packagings as qualified for HAZMAT transportation.

    (The term "HAZMAT employer" also includes any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States, a State, a political subdivision of a State, or an Indian tribe engaged in offering or transporting HAZMAT in commerce.)

Note: To find additional material, perform a search using the keywords "forklift safety" or "forklift training" with any search engine to find private companies that provide forklift safety training services, including videos, written programs, operation training, and more.

Additional Information

OSHA Cooperative Programs

OSHA cooperative programs support agency outreach and assistance efforts. OSHA's consultation projects, partners, and allies serve as ambassadors for OSHA, disseminating information and best practices. OSHA cooperative programs include:


Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of Technical Support and Emergency Management at (202) 693-2300 for assistance accessing PDF materials.

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