Why There’s No Such Thing as a Forklift Licence

As operating a forklift requires such care and extensive knowledge of various components, from the forklift truck itself to the loads it carries, you’d think that a licence would be required to operate the vehicle. However, this is actually not the case; forklift licences don’t exist. But why is this and how do we know if someone is able to operate a forklift truck? Read on to find out.

While the phrase ‘forklift licence required’ is common on many forklift-based job listings, there isn’t a literal licence to be held. Instead, there’s a ‘certificate of training’ – this certificate, as the name suggests, proves that the holder has completed basic training for the truck in question.

Forklift accreditations

Certain accreditations are more valuable than others. While a certificate of training can be issued by any forklift training provider, iterations from RTITB are examples of more valuable certificates – these bodies make up the Accrediting Bodies Association, and so will meet all legal and safety requirements in the Approved Code of Practice (L117).

Certificates of training don’t have expiry dates, unlike licences. This means that holders of these certificates should undergo refresher courses every 3-5 years to ensure that they remain sharp and that they’re kept up to date on any changes in practice/theory/regulations surrounding forklift operation. Another difference between these certificates and licences is that a licence belongs to the driver, but employers do not have to issue certificates to drivers and operators – this means that if an operator starts a new job, they may not necessarily be able to take their certificate with them.

Types of forklift training

The potential lack of certificate means that any new staff in forklift operating roles must be assessed before starting work – this means their current practical skills need to be evaluated, and the three elements detailed in L117 are completed. These three elements encompass basic training, specific job training and familiarisation training – the former is self-explanatory, whilst ‘specific job training’ means training that is tailored to the employer’s requirements. ‘Familiarisation training’ is carried out on the job, where the individual will put what they’ve learnt into practice.

Health and Safety Training Ltd are proud to provide a range of forklift training courses for individuals and businesses throughout the North East, including:

• Industrial reach forklifts
• Industrial counterbalance forklifts
• Industrial side loader forklifts
• Telescopic handler forklifts
• Pedestrian operated pallet trucks
• Multi directional forklifts
• Very Narrow Aisle forklifts
• Pivot steer forklifts
• Order picker forklifts

If you’d like to know more about our forklift training, please get in touch with us today and we’ll be more than happy to help you with anything you need. To learn more about how forklift training can reduce accidents, take a read through Trucks Direct UK’s article.