After attending a forklift trainer program for my company, can I consider training another company’s forklift operators?
ProLift occasionally receives this question from our class attendees. They’ve completed a forklift Train-the-Trainer course on behalf of their company, and later someone they know personally asks to hire them for training.
Yes, you can train another company’s forklift operators, but the better question is - should you?
Forklift Trainer Liability
When an employer designates you as a forklift trainer, you have their oversight for the training program and its contents. They also understand liability risks are involved, for the company and you, spurring some employers to secure additional liability insurance.
When acting as a forklift safety trainer for another company, you are no longer under the protection of your current employer. Instead, you take on the role of an independent contractor, assuming full liability for the training program and participants. Additionally, your current program may have gaps or irrelevant content when applied to another company’s specific on-site hazards and applications, requiring adjustments for a successful and compliant training session.
Before saying yes, be comfortable with the liability risks that come with training forklift operators at another company.
