If you use a manual pushed pallet jack that electrically lifts and lowers the load, is operator training required?

The employer must first determine if OSHA’s standard on Powered Industrial Trucks applies to their equipment. OSHA discusses the scope and application of the final rule, Powered Industrial Truck Operator Training, in the Preamble to the final rule published in the December 1, 1998 Federal Register. The following excerpt is from section VIII. Summary and Explanation of the Final Standard -- B. Scope:

“ ... OSHA notes that the new standard is flexible enough to allow training to be tailored to the special characteristics of the workplace and the vehicles used.

“Accordingly, the scope of the final standard is broader than that of the ASME B56.1-1993 standard, which covers only some types of powered industrial trucks. The final OSHA standard covers all the types of powered industrial trucks specified at 1910.178(a)(1), which is equivalent to the broader scope of the ANSI B56.1-1969 standard. Therefore this final rule applies to the vehicles covered by the following volumes of the consensus standard: Low Lift and High Lift Trucks, ASME B56.1; Guided Industrial Vehicles, ASME B56.5; Rough Terrain Forklift Trucks, ASME B56.6; Industrial Crane Trucks, ASME B56.7; as well as other vehicles that fall within the definition of a powered industrial truck in 1910.178(a).”

The manufacturer of the equipment can advise the employer as to whether the equipment was manufactured to one of the above consensus standards. If it is, then the operators need training to meet the requirements of 1910.178(l). American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standards are protected by copyright. More information on these standards is available from these organizations at http://web.ansi.org and http://www.asme.org/

Even if an employer’s equipment does not meet the definition of powered industrial truck, it would be a good practice to provide the operators with adequate training. Even though 1910.178 may not apply, OSHA could expect the employer to follow the equipment manufacturer’s recommendations for operation, maintenance, etc. as part of the employer’s responsibility to provide “a place of employment which is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees” (see the General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1)) of the OSH Act of 1970).