I see this a lot lately, at one place. Another giant food distribution place that runs 24/7 never breaks the control handles. My next customer runs 2 shifts and shuts down one day a week, with half the hours of the 24/7 DC....but constantly break the control handles. So driver's can affect the breakdown rate by leaning into the control handles.
To be considered broken, a handle would be cracked on both halves,(Reach trucks) or the pivot bearing area split open (common on pacers) That's when you replace the handle. But a defective lift Pot, or travel pot can be, and SHOULD be replaced. Goes for horn, reach, tilt or side shift switches....they can be replaced.
Sorry to say but some techs are too lazy or inexperienced to take them apart and replace defective components. Are you paying the bills or are you the driver getting blamed? You're right, the pot can be replaced. Some reach handles need a circuit board for just one switch. Others have replaceable single switches. What truck model do you have?