How to Get Forklift Certified in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania does not appear on OSHA’s list of states with State Plans, so federal OSHA is the safety regulator for nearly all private employers there. The rule that governs forklift operators is 29 CFR 1910.178(l), the same rule as in every federal OSHA state.

It requires formal instruction, practical training and an evaluation of the operator’s performance in the workplace, followed by the employer’s certification. In other words, a Pennsylvania forklift certification is knowledge you can build online plus a sign-off from the employer. The state does not run a forklift licensing system, and OSHA does not approve, certify or accredit online training providers.

1. Take the online forklift course. It should cover truck controls, stability and capacity, inspection, charging or fueling, surface conditions, load handling, pedestrians, ramps and ventilation.
2. Pass the exam. The Gama Safety pass mark is 80% with unlimited free retakes.
3. Download your certificate and wallet card immediately after passing.
4. Get practical training from a qualified trainer on the type of truck you will drive.
5. Be evaluated in the workplace doing real tasks in the real work area.
6. Receive your employer’s certification and keep a copy.

OSHA’s State Plans page explains that in states without a State Plan, state and local government workers are not covered by federal OSHA. That includes Pennsylvania. If you work for a Pennsylvania state agency, county, city, township or school district, the training you must have depends on your employer’s written safety policy and any rules that apply to it. Many public employers use the OSHA forklift structure anyway, since it is the recognised standard, so ask your supervisor which program is in force and what paperwork they want from you.

Private companies working under public contracts remain private employers and stay under federal OSHA.

Interactive computer learning is an accepted way to deliver formal instruction, so you can do the classroom portion on any device. Practical training and the workplace evaluation cannot be done on a website. Treat any Pennsylvania “forklift license online” promise with caution, because the state issues no such license.

If you do not have a job yet, finishing the online part first still makes sense. Many Pennsylvania warehouse employers and staffing agencies ask for proof of the classroom portion at hiring, then complete the practical training and evaluation on their own trucks.

• Philadelphia and southeastern Pennsylvania. Port-related logistics, food and pharmaceutical distribution, and warehousing along the I-95, I-76 and Turnpike corridors.
• Lehigh Valley (Allentown, Bethlehem). A major concentration of large distribution centres.
• Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania. Steel, metals, manufacturing, building materials and rail-linked logistics.
• Harrisburg, York and the I-81 corridor. Regional distribution for the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
• Erie, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre. Manufacturing and warehousing.

Operators often change truck type, from a sit-down counterbalance on a dock to a narrow-aisle reach truck. The employer’s training must match the truck.

People often ask whether Philadelphia or Pittsburgh has its own forklift certification. Both are covered by the same federal rule as the rest of the state, with no city forklift license in our research. A particular site, such as a port facility or a mill, may have its own orientation or site rules, so ask the employer for their written requirements. The online certificate still counts as the formal instruction portion either way.

A large share of Pennsylvania warehouse hiring goes through staffing agencies, especially around the Lehigh Valley and the Philadelphia suburbs. If you are placed by an agency, ask two questions before your first shift: who provides the practical training on the client’s trucks, and who performs and records the evaluation? The host employer controls the work area and the equipment, so in many cases it does the hands-on part. Having your classroom certificate ready means you can be scheduled for that practical step right away, and it is easy to hand to the agency coordinator when they ask for proof of training.

Keep your own copy of every record you are given. If you move between sites, the paperwork shows what you were trained on and when.

• Online instruction: about 2 hours, self-paced.
• Practical training and evaluation: commonly a few hours at your employer’s site.
• Online course price: Gama Safety’s forklift course is US$59, with certificate, wallet card and unlimited retakes.
• In-person classes with truck time cost more, and many Pennsylvania employers pay.

Under 1910.178(l)(4) the employer must evaluate each operator’s performance at least once every three years. Refresher training is required sooner after unsafe operation, an accident or near-miss, a poor evaluation, assignment to a different type of truck, or a change in workplace conditions that could affect safe operation. A new employer must still certify that you are competent on its equipment.

Gama Safety’s only in-person forklift class is in Fresno, California (forklift certification in Fresno, CA), so it is not available in Pennsylvania. Practical training is normally done by your employer. Companies that need help arranging crew training can send a request through our in-person page.

Team pricing is on the forklift course page. The certification record required by 1910.178(l)(6) lists the operator’s name, the training date, the evaluation date and the name of the person who trained or evaluated. Keep these for every operator and schedule re-evaluations before the three-year mark.

• OSHA, State Plans, list of states with State Plans.
• OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.178, Powered industrial trucks.
• eCFR, 29 CFR 1910.178.
• U.S. Department of Labor, Child labor rules for non-agricultural occupations.