Does your forklift certification need renewing?

When talking about forklift certification, most people refer to their certificate as their licence. However, this is not the correct term as it is a certificate of training. With this in mind, there are many questions related to certification and whether, like a licence, it needs to be renewed.

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about forklift certification renewal.

Do I need to have refresher training by law?

Officially there is no time limit to a certification for forklift drivers – once passed you can legally drive a forklift. But it’s still not quite as clear cut as that, as there is a code of practice which states that refresher training should be given.

Without regular refresher training it could be deemed that, in the event of an accident or incident, the forklift operator had not received sufficient training since their certification was first achieved.

How often should I have refresher training?

Again, without any official indication there is no set time limit for when you should have refresher training. Many people recommend that refresher training is taken every 3 to 5 years from the completion of the driver’s last training session. This kind of interval will ensure that drivers are up to date with the latest advances in technology; they will also be reminded of safety procedures which may have slackened over time.

What does refresher training involve?

Refresher training, unlike the original forklift certification training, need only take a day of your time to help you keep your knowledge up to date. The training should consist of a theory test as well as a practical operators test. Clearly, if a driver has previously passed to gain certification there is no need to go any further than refreshing their memory on the operation and the safety for forklifts.

What if I left it too long to get refreshing training?

Since there is technically no expiration date to your forklift driver’s certification then it can never be “left too long”. However, in the event of an accident you could be liable as a company if the driver of the forklift hasn’t had regular refresher training. Anything over 5 years without training could be deemed negligent so it’s always best to have training at regular intervals.

Can I use other forklifts if I have refresher training?

Whilst you might think that having forklift certification, which only requires refresher training every so often, gives you the freedom to drive all forklifts, you would be acting illegally if you did so. You must undertake a new training course from scratch if you want to drive various types of forklift. This includes reach trucks, pickers, pallet trucks and side loaders.

The correct kind of training, as well as regular refresher training, will ensure that your forklift operators are always compliant with health and safety. It also helps you to get the best out of your staff and your tools, and the better they know the equipment the more efficient they will be.

Here at Euro 1 Training we know how important forklift training is. That’s why we provide a variety of courses for a variety of forklift vehicles. Simply contact us today to learn more or to book your staff in for training.