The short answer: its the law in Canada! (And no, your driver's license doesn't count.)

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The long answer: In Ontario, anyone using material handling equipment needs training to be certified to operate it. This includes a forklift, reach truck or any other material handling equipment. Anyone training or instructing others to operate lifting devices also must be certified to do so.

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As an employer you have many obligations and responsibilities for keeping your employees safe and protected! You can do this by making sure all of your employees, supervisors and management staff are properly educated and trained:

• Ensure that your company's material handling training program exceeds the below requirements

• Train with a reputable training company (that will provide you with the documentation necessary to show due diligence in a court of law.)

 

The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) requires certain conditions to be met: it sets minimum legal requirements and places an obligation on the employer to “provide information, instruction and supervision to a worker to protect the health or safety of the worker”. Ontario Regulations for Industrial Establishments (Reg. 851) says lifting devices "shall be operated only by a competent person."  The government has also developed guidelines and referred to other established standards to help companies better understand their legal responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA)!

 

These guidelines and standards include:

• Guideline for the Safe Operation and Maintenance of Powered Lift Trucks (Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development) 

• CSA B335-15: Safety Standard for Lift Trucks (Canadian Standards Association)

• ANSI/ITSDF B56.1-2020: Safety Standard For Low Lift and High Lift Trucks (American National Standards Institute/Industrial Truck Standards Development Foundation)