Telehandler Safety Training and Certification FAQs

A telehandler, also known as zoom boom, rough terrain forklift or reach forklift, is a telescopic forklift that can carry and place heavy materials.

Construction and maintenance workers who operate telehandlers need to complete telehandler safety training and earn a certification. The certification process includes formal education, a practical training demonstration and an employer-led operator evaluation.

The training program applies to workers who perform a variety of telehandler functions, such as:

• Construction
• Repairs
• Maintenance
• Changing Light Fixtures
• Painting Walls/Ceilings
• Situations that Require Reaching Out and Over Obstacles

According to OSHA requirements outlined in standard 1910.178(I), employees must repeat the operator evaluation once every three years. We recommend that telehandler operators also complete safety training every three years to refresh their knowledge of safe operating procedures.

Your telehandler certification will remain valid for three years. Once it expires, you will be required to complete another employer-led evaluation to confirm you can operate a telehandler safely. OSHA Education Center recommends that all telehandler operators complete refresher training every three years to stay up to date on best practices and common hazards.

To earn your telehandler certificate and certification card, you must pass a brief quiz at the end of each module as well as a comprehensive final exam.

The course includes six brief quizzes, and you have an unlimited number of attempts to achieve a passing score of 80% or higher. Your formal training concludes with a 20-question final exam. You must score at least 70% to pass the exam, and you have an unlimited number of attempts to pass.

After you complete the course, your employer will provide a demonstration on how to operate the specific equipment used on your jobsite and explain site-specific hazards. Last, you will need to provide your employer the Powered Industrial Truck Operator Evaluation Form that you can download in the last module of the course.

To become officially certified, your employer will walk you through the requirements of the evaluation form and ensure you can operate a telehandler safely. Once you and your employer have signed the form, you have successfully completed the evaluation.

Your telehandler certification will remain valid for three years. Once it expires, you will need to retake the employer-led operator evaluation. OSHA does not require mandatory retraining every three years, but we recommend refresher training at least once every three years to ensure your knowledge of safe operating procedures is up to date.

Telehandler Safety Training and Certification covers all required topics listed in OSHA standard 1910.178(I)(3), including:

• Operating Instructions, Warnings and Precautions
• Differences Between the Truck and the Automobile
• Truck Controls and Instrumentation
• Engine or Motor Operation
• Steering and Maneuvering
• Visibility
• Fork and Attachment Adaptation, Operation and Use Limitations
• Vehicle Capacity and Stability
• Inspection and Maintenance Requirements
• Refueling, Charging and Recharging of Batteries
• Operating Limitations
• Operating Instructions, Warnings or Precautions Listed in the Operator’s Manual
• Surface Conditions Where the Vehicle Will Be Operated
• Composition of Loads to Be Carried and Load Stability
• Load Manipulation, Stacking and Unstacking
• Pedestrian Traffic
• Narrow Aisles and Other Restricted Places
• Hazardous (Classified) Locations
• Ramps and Other Sloped Surfaces
• Closed Environments and Other Areas with Insufficient Ventilation
• Other Unique or Potentially Hazardous Environmental Conditions

Certain topics may not be required if the employer can demonstrate they are not applicable to the safe operation of telehandlers in your workplace.

Our online course provides a variety of benefits, including:

• Train 100% Online
• Guaranteed to Pass
• Telehandler Certification Valid for Three Years
• Provides Instant Certificate and Plastic Certification Card
• Audio Narration Included
• Provides 0.2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
• Bulk Discounts Available

After completing Telehandler Safety Training and Certification, you will be prepared to:

• Identify and explain different types of powered industrial trucks and their uses
• Explain safety procedures and preventative measures that can reduce or eliminate powered industrial truck hazards
• Describe how to maneuver a telehandler safely, including in busy worksites and low-visibility conditions
• Perform a pre-operation inspection and checklist of a powered industrial truck and recognize defects during operation

Telehandler operators must be at least 18 years old.

You have 90 days to complete the course after purchase and registration.

In the last module of the course, you can download and print the Powered Industrial Truck Operator Evaluation Form. You must provide this form to your employer before your operator evaluation, which is the final step of certification.

Your employer will provide a demonstration on how to operate the specific equipment used on the jobsite and explain any site-specific hazards.

Your employer will walk you through the requirements of the evaluation form and ensure you can operate a telehandler safely. Once you pass the evaluation and you and your employer have signed the form, you are officially certified to operate a telehandler.