Forklift Safety
Forklifts or lift trucks are Powered Industrial Trucks (PITs), commonly used for the safe handling and transport of various materials, equipment and, in certain lifting circumstances, people. PITs include self-propelled personnel lifts, tractor motors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, stackers and other specialized industrial trucks and vehicles powered by electric or internal combustion engines. Each type of PIT presents different operating hazards. Cal OSHA requires users to be trained and evaluated to ensure they are competent to operate a powered industrial truck.
Cal/OSHA requires that anyone who operates a forklift needs to be trained prior to operating the forklift. Below are the options for forklift training completion.
Option 1:
Complete Cal Poly online training including a practical evaluation.
To execute this option please send email addresses and names of employees who need the training to the Environmental, Health and Safety email address. EHS will assign forklift training in the Learning Hub. When training is assigned the employee will recieve an email from the Learning Hub for the following 5 classes:
- Forklift Operation 1: Safety inspection and Maintenance
- Forklift Operation 2: Stability and capacity
- Forklift Operation 3: Load Handling
- Forklift Operation 4: traveling and maneuvering
- Forklift Practical Evaluation. This is not an online class but an in person evaluation of the students skills by a forklift evaluator. Contact EHS for a list of Cal poly faculty and staff who complete forklift evaluations. Cal poly forklift evaluators need to scan and return the forklift operator form to EHS for credit.
Option 2:
Contact Austin Smith at United Rental 805-266-9049. Cal Poly has a contract with United Rental to provide forklift online training and practical evaluations. United Rental will require competion of there online training and a practical evaluation specific to the forklift you are operating and the environment you are operating it in. Submit completed Practical records to EHS for completion credit of trainings from option 1.
Option 3:
When large numbers of employees need training EHS schedules forklift training using a vendor who provides classroom training and a practical evaluation on site. EHS currently has no classes scheduled. This is the training required for forklift evaluators.
Forklift Resources and Guidance Documents: