tony_g:

In the United States, "forklift certification" should mean that the employer of the forklift operator has certified that the forklift operator has been properly trained according to OSHA 1910.178(l) - Operator Training, and the forklift operator's operational skill and knowledge have been evaluated and have been deemed adequate for the forklift operator to safely operate the forklift(s) which s/he will use.

Certification must comply with OSHA 1910.178(l)(5) - Certfication: "The employer shall certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated as required by this paragraph (l). The certification shall include the name of the operator, the date of the training, the date of the evaluation, and the identity of the person(s) performing the training or evaluation."

Unfortunately, "forklift certification" is a phrase coined by vendors to attempt to market forklift training services or forklift training products. Many vendors advertise they can provide OSHA forklift certification. This is a false claim as only the employer can make the certification.

Employers should be leery of such claims and are advised to compare the products and services of such vendors against the OSHA requirements to ensure they are not wasting their time and money.

OSHA holds the employer of the forklift operator responsible for regulatory compliance and not the vendor.