Description
OSHA Â Â POWERED INDUSTRIAL TRUCKÂ Â (PIT)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Regulation 29 CRF 1910.178
Course: Virtual Instruction                                             Prerequisites: None
Powered industrial trucks, commonly called forklifts or lift trucks, are used in many industries, primarily to move materials. They can also be used to raise, lower, or remove large objects or a number of smaller objects on pallets or in boxes, crates, or other containers. Powered industrial trucks can either be ridden by the operator or controlled by a walking operator.
Over 90 thousand workers are injured annually in forklift accidents. Determining the best way to protect workers from injury largely depends on the type of truck operated and the worksite where it is being used. Employers must ensure that each powered industrial truck operator is competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely.
Prior to operating the truck in the workplace, the employer must evaluate the operator’s performance and determine the operator to be competent to operate a powered industrial truck safely. Employers must also certify that each operator has received the training and evaluate each operator at least once every three years.  Refresher training is needed whenever an operator demonstrates a deficiency in the safe operation of the truck. Certification records must be maintained for three years.
Who Should Take This Course:
OSHA requires that you must be 18 years of age and trained to operate any PIT before you use the PIT. Trained operators must know:
- How to properly use a powered industrial truck
- How to safely demonstrate a powered industrial truck use (employers responsibility)
Course Objectives:
- Introduction
- Overview of the program
- Goal of the program: to provide a training program based on the trainee’s prior knowledge, the types of vehicles used in the workplace, and the hazards of the workplace.
- Types, Features, and Physics
- Familiarize each operator with the basic types and functions of powered industrial trucks.
- Develop an understanding of the information shown on a data plate.
- Understand the critical truck measurements that affect safety.
- Understand the forces that cause tipovers, and the truck design considerations and safety ratings that help prevent them, including the “stability triangle.”
- Inspecting the vehicle
- Understand the purpose and importance of pre-operational checkouts.
- Provide a basic understanding of areas covered during a pre-operational checkout.
- Familiarize each operator with a checklist for pre-operational checkouts, and what to do if a problem is discovered.
- Driving the Truck
- Understand the elements of safe movement of a powered industrial truck.
- Understand the differences between an automobile and a powered industrial truck.
- Recognize the safety hazards associated with operating a powered industrial.
- Load Handling
- Understand the elements of load lifting safety.
- Understand the safe operating procedures for raising and lowering loads in aisles.
- Battery and Charging
- Understand the elements and procedures of safely changing and charging batteries.
- Learn filling procedures and maintenance.
- Related safety issues.
- Safety Concerns
- Review/reinforce potential of serious injury
- Review/reinforce safety procedures in your facility.
- Certification of Completion of the Course
Training will not be enough to eliminate accidents. To be most effective, operator training should be part of a larger comprehensive powered industrial truck safety program that includes the following elements:
- A combination of formal instruction (e.g. interactive computer learning and video tapes)
- Evaluation of the operator’s performance in the workplace is the employers responsibility
- Hazard identification and possible solutions
- Training (of both truck operators and those personnel working near lift trucks) and evaluation of operator competence is employers responsibility
- Supervision (site survey, ongoing hazard assessment)
- Operating procedures (company policies, recordkeeping, safety practices)
- Maintenance and repair procedures
- Facility design
- Lift truck selection criteria (equipment survey of truck types, attachments and modifications)
Workplace-Related Topics
- Surface conditions where the vehicle will be operated
- Composition of loads to be carried and load stability
- Load manipulation stacking, and unstacking
- Pedestrian traffic in areas where the vehicle will be operated
- Narrow aisles and other restricted places where the vehicle will be operated
- Hazardous (classified) locations where the vehicle will be operated
- Ramps and other sloped surfaces that could affect the vehicle’s stability
- Closed environments and other areas where insufficient ventilation or poor vehicle maintenance could cause a buildup of carbon monoxide or diesel exhaust.
- Other unique or potentially hazardous environmental conditions in the workplace that could affect safe operation.
Vehicles Covered by OSHA’s Standard Include:
- High lift trucks
- Counter-balanced trucks
- Cantilevered trucks
- Rider trucks
- Forklift trucks
- High lift platform trucks
- Low lift trucks
- Low lift platform trucks
- Motorized hand trucks
- Pallet trucks
- Narrow aisle rider trucks
- Straddle trucks
- Reach rider trucks
- Single side loader rider trucks
- High lift order picker rider trucks
- Motorized hand/rider trucks
- Rough terrain truck
United Safety Solutions Course Covers:
Powered industrial truck operators shall receive initial training in the following topics, except those not applicable in the employer’s workplace:
- OSHA Standards
- Forklift safety
- Operating instructions, warnings, and precautions for the types of truck the operator will be authorized to operate
- Load handling
- Differences between the truck and the automobile
- Truck controls and instrumentation: where they are located, what they do, and how they work
- Engine or motor operation
- Steering and maneuvering
- Visibility (including restrictions due to loading)
- Fork and attachment adaptation, operation, and use limitations
- Vehicle capacity
- Vehicle stability
- Any vehicle inspection and maintenance that the operator will be required to perform
- Refueling
- Charging and recharging of batteries
- Maintenance
- Operating limitations
Powered Industrial Truck Characteristics
The term “powered industrial truck” is defined as a “mobile, power propelled truck used to carry, push, pull, lift, stack, or tier material.” Vehicles that are used for earth moving and over-the-road hauling are excluded.
Certification:
Successful completion requires 80% passing score on all quizzes.
Upon successful completion, participants receive a wallet card, and documentation to satisfy OSHA.