Does OSHA require forklifts to have fire extinguishers?

Federal OSHA does not require employers to equip their forklifts with portable fire extinguishers. However, depending on the hazards present in an area where forklifts travel, OSHA may have requirements for fire protection in that location.

If the manufacturer equips its forklifts with fire extinguishers, the employer must maintain the extinguishers according to the requirements of 1910.157 and may instruct forklift operators in extinguisher use. An extinguisher cannot be removed from the forklift without written permission from the manufacturer.

Note: The Liquefied Petroleum (LP) Gas standard at 1910.110(e)(2) requires that LP-Gas fueled forklifts comply with NFPA 505-1969, Standard for Type Designations, Areas of Use, Maintenance and Operation of Powered Industrial Trucks. Although the 1969 edition does not reference fire extinguishers, the 2024 edition, Fire Safety Standard for Powered Industrial Trucks Including Type Designations, Areas of Use, Conversions, Maintenance, and Operations, addresses their use in Chapter 10. That chapter mentions that some jurisdictional authorities may require trucks to be equipped with an extinguisher. If so, the chapter suggests following the recommendations made by the truck maker when placing a fire extinguisher on a truck. If extinguishers are, in fact, placed on a truck, then truck operators must get training in the proper use of extinguishers, according to Chapter 10.