All general industry standards apply to workers performing maintenance on powered industrial trucks. The following is an overview of the regulations, training requirements, and other resources:
Forklift mechanics are exposed to a variety of
hazardous materials. Chemicals pose a wide range of health
hazards, such as irritation, sensitization, and carcinogenicity, and
physical hazards, such as flammability, corrosion, and reactivity.
Forklift operators are often authorized to perform some of their own
maintenance, such as refueling diesel or gasoline powered trucks,
changing propane tanks on LPG trucks, or recharging and servicing
electric batteries on electric forklifts. They may also change oil,
antifreeze, or other fluids and so are also exposed to a variety of
hazardous chemicals.
29 CFR 1910.178,
Powered industrial trucks. Includes
specific training requirements for forklift operators who change
and charge batteries, handle propane tanks, fuel diesel or
gasoline engines, and otherwise repair and maintain powered
industrial trucks.
Regulations for machine shop and press room safety.
OSHA Standard Interpretation, (1984, September 11).
Provides general guidance for operating a machine shop and
press room and the relevant applicable standards.
Definition of the phrase "Adequate ventilation" as used in 1910.178.
OSHA Standard Interpretation, (1976, January 26). Indicates a "typical exhaust fan" could meet this requirement if the
concentrations of the hydrogen gas in the fan's ambient air never
exceeded the lower explosive limit.
Servicing Single-Piece and Multi-Piece Rim Wheels. OSHA Publication 3086, (1998), 443 KB
PDF, 29
pages. Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of
Science, Technology and Medicine at 202-693-2300 for assistance
accessing OSHA PDF materials.
For additional information, see OSHA's Safety and Health Topics Pages
on:
