joe m:

Government leadership? Now that 's an oxymoron. We don't need a governmental agency to lead (if they ever could). We merely need the OSHA administrations to do what they are paid, and supposedly trained, to do. They need to put some teeth in their enforcement policy and enforce their regulations - especially forklift training.

The U.S. does not need to reinvent the wheel. It already has the most stringent forklift regulations of any country and these regulations extend to other types of powered industrial trucks as well.

Those that are not familiar with U.S. OSHA 1910.178, Powered Industrial Trucks, can download a copy from osha.gov.

The specific U.S. employer training requirements can be found in OSHA 1910.178(l) Training.

In addition to many specific training requirements, lacking in most other countries, there is a specific requirement to train employees in any element of section (OSHA 1910.178, Powered Industrial Trucks) that is applicable. (See OSHA 1910.178(l)(3)(iii).

An employer can add any additional training so desired. AS A MINIMUM, however, the OSHA training elements listed must be addressed. OSHA inspectors should audit these specific items for compliance. This simple task would make a big difference in the quality of forklift training in the U.S. in the shortest interval possible.

There are consensus standards throughout the world. Engineers voluntarily adopt such standards. Governments do not. Governments may adopt bits and pieces as written, but normally they edit the standards to suit their desires after years of delay. Government works on the NIH syndrome - if it's not invented here we don't need it.

One of the best forklift consensus standards, in my opinion, is the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) B335-04, Safety standard for forklift trucks. It can be reviewed online.

Google: Ontario Ministry of Labour, Health and Safety and click on "View Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Standards" at the bottom of the page.

If Canada would adopt this consensus standard as written and enforce it, you would shortly see dramatic changes with Canada's forklift training as well.