How To Get Forklift Certification For Free

Free Online Forklift Training

If you want free forklift training, there is a wealth of easily accessible information that is freely available on the Internet. There are two broad categories of information about free online forklift training, regulatory and practical. Maybe you are in your last year of high school and thinking about being a forklift operator when you graduate; you have a computer and an internet connection and want to learn everything you can about the job. Or maybe you're a veteran employee and want to change careers. Becoming a forklift driver can get you in a new job fast, and can provide you with the opportunity to live just about anywhere.

No matter where you are in your journey, you need forklift training and a forklift certification to get to your goals. Learn more about forklift training and how you can get it below.

What is Involved with Forklift Training and Certification?

All workers who wish to operate forklifts must complete forklift training to feel competent and confident at driving forklifts in any type of work environment. Forklift training is a general term, and you can read more about the specifics involved here that OSHA requires.

Forklift certification is the license workers receive once they successfully complete forklift training and pass the in-person evaluation. The forklift training program is not free, but with FLC it's extremely affordable and will reward you with a free forklift license upon completion. Besides the fact that it's an OSHA requirement, forklift training comes with many benefits you may not have thought of. Read them here to learn how getting a forklift certification can open the doors to more career opportunities, increase your pay, increase your bottom line if you're an employer, and more. The (low) cost of forklift training pays for itself many times over to help you create a successful career or thriving business.

FORKLIFT TRAINING OSHA REGULATIONS for Employers and Operators

In the United States, the relevant government agency is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). For free OSHA forklift training, the organization's web page on powered industrial trucks (forklifts) is an excellent source. Right away, you will learn that one-quarter of all forklift-related deaths are caused by overturning forklifts and that this is the leading cause of forklift fatalities. That's an easy enough concept to grasp. However, the rest of the website is not novice-friendly. Unless you are looking for free OSHA forklift training material so that you can be a compliance officer, you may want to look for simpler free online forklift training resources.

If you're a worker wanting to become a forklift operator, ask your boss about getting you the training you need to get certified. According to OSHA, it's their responsibility to provide training for you and to ensure that you are certified and confident to drive forklifts. They should provide it for you at no charge and provide you with a Trainer to lead the skills evaluation on a forklift. Once this is complete, you can print your operator license card, if you chose FLC.

Whether you're an operator or an employer, check out FLC's page on OSHA forklift training for an easy to follow guide on what you need to know to learn how to drive a forklift and be compliant. We are approved by OSHA and will ensure you are 100% compliant with all regulations.

The OSHA-Compliant FORKLIFT TRAINING You Need

Fortunately, FLC maintains its own, more digestible website with a special section for free OSHA forklift training. There is a lot of stuff that OSHA want you to know that you might not think is directly relevant to free forklift training. Note, however, that you will not be operating a forklift in a vacuum. For example, you may not think that information on labeling of hazardous chemicals is important to you, but if you happen to be lugging crates of glass bottles containing hydrochloric acid, you will be surprised at how quickly this information can become relevant to your working day.

Hazard communication

Personal protection equipment

Back safety

Forklift safety and operation

Hearing conservation (under construction at the time of writing)

Other free training sites

Signing up for free forklift training OSHA regulations from FLC is just one of the bonuses of free forklift training that we offer. We also have four "How To" guides:

How to develop a forklift operator training program
How to certify your operators – This one is aimed at employers and gives a lot of useful information about developing a company-specific and sustainable workplace forklift training program.
Trainer guide – This is a free forklift training power point that explains the responsibilities of forklift trainers, what should be included in a training curriculum, different methods of training and OSHA training requirements.
Operator guide – This slide presentation is absolutely packed with information about:
- Forklift stability – basic principles; the stability triangle; longitudinal, lateral and dynamic stability; includes detailed, easy-to-understand diagrams
- The four major types of hazard
- Types of powered industrial truck and unique characteristics
- Diagram showing the components of a forklift
- Seven classes of forklift
- A section on maritime forklifts
A special bonus – 10 steps for evaluating your OSHA forklift training needs

All of these free online forklift training guides are available in the Learning Zone of our Resources Page.

Forklift Training and Certification

While there is a vast wealth of freely available forklift training on the Internet, in the United States at least you will need a forklift certification before you can legally drive a forklift in the workplace. OSHA levy heavy fines if they discover that a forklift operator is not properly licensed.

To learn how to become a certified, OSHA-compliant forklift truck operator, give us a call or visit our website at ForkliftCertification.com.