dan m -

The New Zealand Health and Safety in Employment (HSE) Act, Section 13, requires employers to ensure employees are adequately trained in the safe use of plant (machinery). If the employer is willing to accept the forklift training in Canada as adequate, there should be no problem. It is unlikely the student would be in violation of any current New Zealand health and safety law.

Somewhere in the near future, however, a certificate from a Competenz* registered instructor/examiner will be required for New Zealand forklift operators. Competenz is currently responsible for the certification and registration of forklift driver trainers, and maintaining a publicly available register of currently certified trainers.

If the student takes the training in New Zealand and receives a New Zealand forklift "certificate" from a New Zealand registered forklift trainer, he would have an operating certificate which would be valid for three years.

Google:

New Zealand Fact Sheet - Forklift operator and instructor training

10851 Operate a powered industrial lift truck (PILT) fitted with forks

10852 Operate a powered industrial lift truck (PILT) fitted with attachment

18496 Operate a powered industrial lift truck (PILT) on road

Joseph,

I knew you were going to come through for me. Thanks.

The employer says that as long as he has gone through the process in Canada, he is fine to work for them in N.Z. But based on what businesses know about forklift laws, it puts doubts in my mind. I can train this guy on everything plus regarding forklifts, but if the N.Z. labour ministry says no, I do not want this young chap to waste his time and money here, only to get shut out down there

dan m -

A New Zealand employer could hire the student as a forklift operator if the employer was satisfied with the student's previous forklift training and experience. It is more likely, however, that the New Zealand employer would require, as a minimum, a certificate issued by a New Zealand registered forklift instructor/examiner indicating the student had passed the forklift theoretical portion and the forklift operating portion of a New Zealand forklift exam. Many large New Zealand employers have their own in-house registered instructors/examiners.

Have your student Google:

osh.dol.govt.nz frklftac.pdf The Approved Code of Practice for Training Operators

osh.dol.govt.nz forklift1.pdf front loading forklift

(The following information is also available.)

osh.dol.govt.nz forklift2.pdf order pickers

osh.dol.govt.nz forklift3.pdf side loader

osh.dol.govt.nz forklift4.pdf straddle trucks