OSHA Proposes Modernized Forklift Design Standards

Posted on 2/22/2022 by Lauren Scott

OSHA proposed to revise its standards for the design and construction of powered industrial trucks (e.g., forklifts) in the Federal Register on February 16.

OSHA adopted its first regulations concerning powered industrial trucks in 1971, based on 1969 consensus standards. Those consensus standards have been updated a dozen times since then, most recently in 2020.

OSHA's proposed rule takes into account “the most relevant national consensus standards from the American National Standards Institute/Industrial Truck Standards Development Foundation (ANSI/ITSDF),” the agency says.

The rule would allow exceptions if the employer can demonstrate that the forklift in question was designed and constructed in a way that offers the same level of protection or more than ANSI/ITSDF standards.

OSHA will accept comments on the proposed rule until May 17. Comments may be electronically submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal.

More Than Forklifts

OSHA defines powered industrial trucks as vehicles:

Controlled by a riding operator, or
Remotely controlled, or
Controlled by an operate standing alongside

In addition to the typical forklift, the powered industrial truck regulations can apply to vehicles like powered pallet jacks, shopping cart caddies, order pickers, and other similar machines.

OSHA commonly lists forklift accidents as one of the top ten workplace health and safety concerns in the US each year (Top 10 OSHA Violations of 2021).

Effective Online OSHA Safety Training

Protect your employees with expertly designed, convenient OSHA training. Available 24/7, these interactive OSHA safety training courses help employees identify, mitigate, and avoid the hazards in your workplace.

Popular OSHA Safety Courses:
Forklift Safety
Lockout/Tagout
Online HAZWOPER Training
Confined Space Entry Awareness
GHS Hazard Communication (for Employees)
Managing GHS Hazard Communication (for Managers)
Lithium Battery Safety

Employees who complete OSHA training at Lion.com are ready to make on-the-job decisions that keep themselves and their co-workers safe.

Tags: forklift

Find a Post

Search for:

Compliance Topics

Compliance Archives

We have a very busy work schedule and using Lion enables us to take the course at our own time. It makes it easy for me to schedule my employees' training.

Timothy Mertes

Hazmat Shipping Professional

I have over 26 years of environmental compliance experience, and it has been some time since I have attended an environmental regulations workshop. I attended this course as preparation for EHS Audits for my six plants, and it was exactly what I was looking for.

Frank Sizemore

Director of Regulatory Affairs

This was the 1st instructor that has made the topic actually enjoyable and easy to follow and understand. Far better than the "other" training providers our company has attended!

Lori Hardy

Process & Resource Administrator

I like Lion's workshops the best because they really dig into the information you need to have when you leave the workshop.

Tom Bush, Jr.

EHS Manager

I can take what I learned in this workshop and apply it to everyday work and relate it to my activities.

Shane Hersh

Materials Handler

Amazing instructor; real-life examples. Lion training gets better every year!

Frank Papandrea

Environmental Manager

The instructor does a great job at presenting material in an approachable way. I have been able to save my company about $30,000 in the last year with what I have learned from Lion!

Curtis Ahonen

EHS&S Manager

Lion's online training is more comprehensive, has better slides, and is a superior training experience than what I would get from other trainers.

Robert Brenner

District Environmental Manager

The instructor had knowledge of regulations and understanding of real-world situations. The presentation style was engaging and fostered a positive atmosphere for information sharing.

Linda Arlen

Safety & Environmental Compliance Officer

The course was very well structured and covered the material in a clear, concise manner.

Ian Martinez

Hazmat Shipping Professional

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Look beyond the annual "Top 10 List" to see specifics about the most cited OSHA health & safety Standards and the individual regulations that tripped up employers the most last year.

Download

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.