A telehandler, also known as a zoom boom, rough terrain forklift or reach forklift, is a telescopic forklift used to carry and place heavy materials. OSHA requires all telehandler operators to become certified through formal instruction, practical training and an employer-led operator evaluation.
Telehandler Safety Training and Certification is a 100% online course that satisfies OSHA’s formal training requirements to become a certified telehandler operator. The two-hour course is accepted in every state and fully complies with OSHA’s general industry standard for telehandler operator training. After completing the course, you’ll receive an official telehandler certification card printed on durable plastic.
OSHA Telehandler Safety Training and Certification Course Details
Satisfies Training Standards for:
Designed for:
Telehandler Operators, Including Construction and Maintenance Workers
Format:
100% Online Course
Provides:
Telehandler Certificate and Plastic Telehandler Certification Card
Benefits of Telehandler Certification
Our online course provides a variety of benefits, including:
- 100% Online Course
- Guaranteed to Pass
- Telehandler Certification Valid for Three Years
- Plastic Certification Card Mailed Within Five to Seven Business Days
- Audio Narration Included
- Bulk Discounts Available
Who Needs Telehandler Safety Training?
Construction and maintenance workers who operate telehandlers need to earn a certification by completing formal training, a practical training demonstration and an employer-led operator evaluation. Employees must pass an operator evaluation once every three years to maintain their certification.
The program applies to telehandler operators who perform a variety of functions, such as:
- Construction
- Repairs
- Maintenance
- Changing Light Fixtures
- Painting Walls and Ceilings
- Situations that Require Reaching Out and Over Obstacles
Testing Requirements
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 with a 180-minute time limit. 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 issued at the end of your 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 card will remain valid for three years. To maintain your certification once it expires, you must pass another employer-led operator evaluation. OSHA Education Center recommends that all telehandler operators complete refresher training every three years.
Course Learning Objectives
After completing the telehandler safety course, students will be able 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
Course Outline
Telehandler Safety Training and Certification includes six learning modules that teach students about telehandlers and related hazards, safe operating procedures and safety precautions outlined in OSHA standard 1910.178(I). Explore an overview of each module’s topics and learning objectives below.
Module 1: Introduction to Powered Industrial Trucks
Topics covered in Module 1 include:
- Powered Industrial Trucks 101
- When to Use a Powered Industrial Truck
- When Not to Use a Powered Industrial Truck
Learning objectives include:
- List OSHA’s seven main classes of powered industrial trucks
- Describe safe and unsafe uses for powered industrial trucks
- Name the two main power sources for powered industrial trucks
Module 2: Operating a Powered Industrial Truck
Topics covered in Module 2 include:
- Right-of-Way
- Safe Loading Procedures
- Driving Under Hazardous Conditions
Learning objectives include:
- State the best practices for operating powered industrial trucks in busy worksites
- Explain the importance of safe load handling procedures
- List safety tips for operating a powered industrial truck in hazardous conditions
Module 3: Powered Industrial Truck Hazards
Topics covered in Module 3 include:
- Accidents
- Case Studies
- Workplace Hazards
- Heavy Traffic and Narrow Spaces
- Inclines
- Floor Surfaces
- Hazards Caused by the Operator
- Incident Reporting
Learning objectives include:
- Name workplace conditions that may cause hazards for operators
- Relate operational mistakes to powered industrial truck hazards and accidents
- Describe safety procedures and preventative measures that can reduce or eliminate powered industrial truck hazards
Module 4: Inspections and Maintenance
Topics covered in Module 4 include:
- Before You Operate
- During Operation
- When to Remove a Powered Industrial Truck from Service
- Maintenance
Learning objectives include:
- Relate the importance of regular inspections and maintenance for preventing powered industrial truck hazards
- List issues that require a powered industrial truck to be removed from service
- State safety procedures for powered industrial trucks under maintenance
Module 5: Related Regulations and Resources
Topics covered in Module 5 include:
- OSHA and Powered Industrial Trucks
- When Do I Need Refresher Training?
- Resources for Powered Industrial Truck Operators
Learning objectives include:
- Relate OSHA regulations to powered industrial truck safety
- State the importance of refresher training, especially after unsafe powered industrial truck operations
- List OSHA and government resources that support workplace safety
Module 6: Telescopic Handlers
Topics covered in Module 6 include:
- Telescopic Handler Basics
- When to Use a Telehandler
- When Not to Use a Telehandler
- OSHA Standards Relevant to Telehandlers
- Telehandler Hazards
- Tip-Overs
- Collisions
- Load Handling
- Pedestrians
- Inclines
- Parking
Learning objectives include:
- List the uses and basic components of telehandlers
- Differentiate between rotating and heavy-lift fixed telehandlers
- Name the OSHA standards covering telehandlers
- Describe best practices for safely operating telehandlers and avoiding accidents
Telehandler Safety Training FAQs
Does OSHA require telehandler certification?
Yes. According to OSHA standard 1910.178(I), which regulates telehandlers and other powered industrial trucks, telehandler operators must be certified through formal instruction, practical training and a performance evaluation. Operators must also be at least 18 years old.
Our online training program satisfies the formal instruction requirement for certification. After you complete the course, your employer will provide practical training and perform an evaluation to ensure you can operate a telehandler safely.
What are the testing requirements for this course?
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 with a 180-minute time limit. 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. To become certified, you must pass an employer-led evaluation that ensures you can operate a telehandler safely.
What are my next steps after completing telehandler training?
After you complete the course, you will need to download and print the Powered Industrial Truck Operator Evaluation Form issued at the end of your training. You must provide this form to your employer before your operator evaluation.
Your employer will provide a demonstration on how to operate the specific equipment used on the jobsite and explain any site-specific hazards. To become certified, you must successfully pass an operator evaluation. 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.
How long will my telehandler certification be valid?
Your telehandler certification card will remain valid for three years. To maintain your certification once it expires, you must pass another employer-led operator evaluation. OSHA Education Center recommends that all telehandler operators complete refresher training every three years.
When do I need to take retake the telehandler safety training course?
We recommend that telehandler operators retake the course every three years to refresh their knowledge of safe operating procedures. To maintain your certification, OSHA requires you to pass an employer-led operator evaluation every three years.
OSHA also requires telehandler operators to complete additional training after an unsafe incident or accident, including:
- Being observed operating a telehandler in an unsafe manner
- Having an accident involving a telehandler
- Experiencing a near-miss accident involving a telehandler
- Completing an evaluation that determines you are not operating the telehandler safely
- Being assigned to a new type of telehandler you’re not trained to operate
- Experiencing a change in workplace conditions that could affect the safe operation of a telehandler
How old do I need to be to operate a telehandler?
Telehandler operators must be at least 18 years old.
Does the course expire?
The course expires 180 days after registration.
Related Courses
Explore other courses related to telehandler certification and jobsite safety:
- OSHA Forklift Certification
- Aerial and Scissor Lifts
- Pallet Jack Safety Training and Certification
- Hydraulic Safety
- Work Zone Safety
- Fall Protection
- Fatigue Awareness