Who is responsible for confirming that workers (forklift operators) are not in the trailer or loading or unloading a trailer or hostler when the truck driver attempts to remove the trailer from a loading dock?

If the FMCSA’s regulations do not cover a working condition, e.g., a manufacturing company that has employees exposed to this condition, then an employer must comply with OSHA's standards to ensure that forklift operators are not in the trailer or hostler when the driver attempts to remove the trailer from the loading dock. The powered industrial truck (PIT) standard at 29 CFR 1910.178(l)(3)(i)(A) requires PIT operators to be trained about “operating instructions, warnings, and precautions for the types of truck the operator will be authorized to operate.” Similarly, 29 CFR 1910.178(l)(3)(i)(M) requires PIT operators to be trained about “any other operating instructions, warnings, or precautions listed in the operator’s manual for the types of vehicle that the employee is being trained to operate.” In particular, 29 CFR 1910.178(l)(3)(ii)(A) requires training about “surface conditions where the vehicle will be operated.” Thus, a PIT operator must be trained that he or she is not to operate a PIT on a trailer that has been backed to a company’s dock unless the trailer is properly secured or restricted from movement prior to boarding.