Forklift certification Certification Forklift Employer Responsibilities 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA 1910.178, how often must an employer evaluate each forklift operator's performance?
- At least once every three years (Correct answer)
- At least once every year
- Only once at hiring
- Every five years
Correct answer: At least once every three years
OSHA requires employers to evaluate each powered industrial truck operator's performance at least once every three years.
Question 2: Who is responsible for certifying that a forklift operator has completed the required training?
- The operator
- The employer (Correct answer)
- OSHA
- The equipment manufacturer
Correct answer: The employer
The employer must certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated as required.
Question 3: An employer observes an operator driving with a raised load blocking visibility. What is the employer's proper responsibility?
- Ignore it if no accident occurred
- Provide refresher training and re-evaluation (Correct answer)
- Wait for the next 3-year evaluation
- Only issue a verbal warning with no record
Correct answer: Provide refresher training and re-evaluation
Observed unsafe operation triggers the employer's duty to provide refresher training and evaluation.
Question 4: What must an employer's training certification record include?
- Operator name, training date, and evaluator identity (Correct answer)
- Only the operator's signature
- The forklift serial number only
- A copy of the OSHA standard
Correct answer: Operator name, training date, and evaluator identity
The certification must record the operator's name, the date of training/evaluation, and who performed the evaluation.
Question 5: Which of these is an employer responsibility regarding forklift maintenance?
- Remove damaged trucks from service until repaired (Correct answer)
- Allow use until the truck fully fails
- Let operators repair trucks themselves without training
- Delay repairs to the annual inspection
Correct answer: Remove damaged trucks from service until repaired
Employers must remove any forklift in unsafe condition from service until it is repaired.
Question 6: When a new type of forklift is introduced to the workplace, what must the employer do?
- Nothing if the operator is already certified
- Provide truck-specific training before use (Correct answer)
- Wait until the 3-year re-evaluation
- Only provide a manual to read
Correct answer: Provide truck-specific training before use
Training must address the specific type of truck the operator will use, so new equipment requires additional training.
Question 7: Who is ultimately responsible for ensuring only trained and authorized operators use forklifts?
- The employer (Correct answer)
- The forklift dealer
- The insurance company
- Fellow employees
Correct answer: The employer
The employer must ensure that only trained and authorized personnel operate powered industrial trucks.
