Lift Group Lauds Training Rules

TT File Photo

When the Industrial Truck Association meets this week in Washington, D.C., its members will be basking in a victory.

The trade group, which represents makers of lift trucks and components, spent the last 10 years trying to get more stringent training standards for forklift operators. In March, the federal government issued the regulations.

Starting Dec. 1, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration will begin enforcing mandatory training standards for forklift drivers. The standards will affect an estimated 1.5 million workers in a variety of industries, including trucking. Carriers will have to train drivers who use forklifts, even occasionally.

Also, employers will be required to verify operators’ competency every three years.

OSHA said the training is needed in the trucking industry. Incidents involving truck drivers and delivery workers account for 6.7% of forklift-related injuries each year, according to the safety agency.

The agency also estimated that training will cost the trucking and warehousing industries $1.4 million a year — $16 million for the whole of American industry Standard training should reduce the number of all forklift injuries by 9,500 and save $135 million a year, OSHA said.

American Trucking Associations warned that OSHA will use the standard to enforce seat belt requirements for forklifts (12-14, p. 3). In 1996, the agency began citing employers under the general duty clause for failing to ensure their workers wore seat belts.

The Industrial Truck Association hopes the training requirements will protect members from lawsuits as a result of workers’ accidents. “We will have an overall discussion to make sure everybody fully understands the elements,” of the new rules, said Larry A. Borre, ITA’s president.

For the full story, see the April 12 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.