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Train Your Operators - It’s the Law!
When it comes to training of people who either instruct on or operate lifting devices, the law requires certain conditions to be met. The Occupational Health and Safety Act sets down minimum legal requirements. These requirements are found in the O.H.S.A. under Regulations for Industrial Establishments (Reg. 851). Under Reg. 851, Sec. 51(2) it states that:
A lifting device shall be operated,
(a) only by,
(i) a competent person, or
(ii) a worker being instructed who is accompanied by a competent person; and…….
To determine if the people are competent we need to know what the law defines as competent. In the O.H.S.A. under definitions it states:
“competent person” means a person who,
(a) is qualified because of knowledge, training and experience to organize the work and its performance,
(b) is familiar with this Act and the regulations that apply to the work, and
(c) has knowledge of any potential or actual danger to health or safety in the workplace;
Furthermore the government has developed guidelines and referred to standards to help companies better understand their legal responsibilities under O.H.S.A. as follows:
Guideline for the Safe Operation and Maintenance of Powered Lift Trucks (Ministry of Labour)
C.S.A. Standard B335-15 for Industrial Lift Truck Operator Training (written by a committee composed of representatives from all aspects of industry as well as people from the training sector and many manufacturers of lifting devices)
A.S.M.E. B56.1a-1995 American Society of Mechanical Engineers (written with specific requirements for the manufacturer to follow and end user to abide by accepted in North America)
Ensure that your company's material handling training program exceeds these requirements and train with a reputable training company that can provide you with the documentation necessary to show due diligence in a court of law.
Are you in compliance? Ask how we can help!