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Equipment operator certifications?
Tim Hite:
Looking at freelancing some jobs over the summer and have repeatedly been asked for a forklift and boom lift certification. We don't own either, but have access to several contractor's lifts to train on.
Are the $50 online certifications relevant here?
What are big boy production companies looking for?
Justice C. Bigler:
--- Quote from: Tim Hite on May 29, 2019, 06:30:38 PM ---What are big boy production companies looking for?
--- End quote ---
Probably mostly an excuse to force you to hire their own operators at twice the hourly rate.
Brian Adams:
As far as I'm aware, the only "forklift training" someone needs is to be told about how to operate them and how dangerous they can be, then operate one while someone who knows how to run it watches over. Boom, certified operator. Not much to it, hardly any regulations, and I think anyone charging money for "certification" is riding the line between ethical and scam. Just my opinion, but I could be wrong.
I think the regulations are even looser for boom lifts.
If you know someone with this equipment, ask if they'll talk to you about how to run it and let you try them out. Then you'll be "certified", at least in OSHA's eyes. I suppose some states might have stricter requirements than OSHA, but I don't know. Companies can have their own policies as well.
Tim McCulloch:
--- Quote from: Brian Adams on May 30, 2019, 10:28:59 AM ---As far as I'm aware, the only "forklift training" someone needs is to be told about how to operate them and how dangerous they can be, then operate one while someone who knows how to run it watches over. Boom, certified operator. Not much to it, hardly any regulations, and I think anyone charging money for "certification" is riding the line between ethical and scam. Just my opinion, but I could be wrong.
I think the regulations are even looser for boom lifts.
If you know someone with this equipment, ask if they'll talk to you about how to run it and let you try them out. Then you'll be "certified", at least in OSHA's eyes. I suppose some states might have stricter requirements than OSHA, but I don't know. Companies can have their own policies as well.
--- End quote ---
I dunno, Brian, does SD regulate anything at all? There's a reason all the retired RVers get "domicile" in SD...
I have a lift truck cert/card. It's valid for the make and model I was tested on. The classroom part was about an hour, with a video and power point, a written test, and then an operator skills evaluation. The entire process for a class of 10 took about 4 hours.
Boom lifts, elevated work platforms, etc all have separate tests and the cert is valid only for the make and model the worker is tested on. The reality is that most employers of itinerant labor don't care about that so long as the worker has a current cert for substantially similar equipment. Is the _insert brand name here_ 50 ft boom lift significantly different from their 65 foot lift? Probably not, and that's why the employer sees the cert as functionally interchangeable (even if they're not).
For the Benefit of Mr. Hite - sign up for a physical training session, not the on-line version unless you're already a competent lift operator and just need the card in your pocket.
Jerome Malsack:
It is also an insurance liability issue for the venue.
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