Introduction

It’s obvious that OSHA and other regulatory safety agencies require forklift operators to receive comprehensive forklift training and certification. But do supervisors need forklift training as well?

You might think, no, especially if supervisors aren’t themselves operating forklifts.

But failing to provide forklift training to your managers and supervisors could be a huge mistake, that not only puts them in danger, but also undermines your entire forklift safety program.

In this guide, we’ll explain exactly why supervisors need forklift training, the risks of untrained supervisors, what OSHA expects from employers, and what the minimum level of training should include.

Why Supervisors Need Forklift Training

The main reason that managers and supervisors of forklift operations need forklift training is simple:

Without adequate training, they cannot effectively promote or enforce forklift safety guidelines and requirements because they do not fully understand those requirements themselves.

Consider the following example.

During training, a forklift operator learns that positioning a load farther away from the backrest significantly reduces the truck’s capacity.

Later, a supervisor observes that same operator handling a near-capacity load positioned approximately 24 inches from the backrest. Even though the load weight itself is below the forklift’s rated capacity, the truck is effectively overloaded due to the load position.

Because the supervisor has not received forklift training and does not understand how load position affects capacity, the unsafe operation goes unrecognized and uncorrected.

When unsafe forklift operation is allowed to continue without correction, it sends a clear signal to operators that enforcement is inconsistent. Over time, this leads to shortcuts, normalization of unsafe practices, and a gap between written forklift safety policies and what actually happens on the shop floor or worksite.

To effectively promote and enforce forklift safety requirements, supervisors must understand those requirements themselves. They need to know what safe operation looks like, what unsafe operation looks like, and when intervention or retraining is required.

So what does forklift training for supervisors actually look like?

Before addressing supervisor-specific expectations, it’s important to briefly review OSHA’s forklift training requirements for operators. This helps clarify where supervisors fit into an OSHA-compliant forklift safety program.

OSHA Forklift Training Requirements

Forklift training and certification for operators has two important parts:

• Part 1: General Training (formal instruction covering forklift fundamentals and safety)
• Part 2: Workplace-Specific and Practical Training (training on the actual equipment and workplace)

Part 1: General Training (Theory/Classroom/Online)

General training provides the foundational knowledge employees need before operating a forklift.

It covers topics such as:

• How forklifts operate and handle loads.
• Stability fundamentals and load capacity principles.
• Common forklift hazards.
• General safe operating practices.

This part of the training can be delivered in a classroom or through structured online forklift training programs, as long as OSHA’s required topics are covered. It must also include a knowledge evaluation to confirm the operator understands the material.

This is the same core knowledge operators are expected to follow and apply during daily operations. It’s also the knowledge that supervisors must understand, at minimum, to effectively promote and enforce the company’s forklift safety program.

Part 2: Workplace-Specific and Practical Training

After general training, operators must receive training specific to their workplace and the equipment they will use.

This training must:

• Take place at the workplace.
• Use the same forklifts, attachments, and configurations used on the job.
• Address site-specific hazards and operating conditions.

Workplace-specific training typically includes:

• Types and models of forklifts used at the facility.
• Site layout, traffic patterns, and pedestrian interaction.
• Ramps, docks, narrow aisles, and racking systems.
• Company forklift policies and procedures.
• Demonstration of proper operation by a competent trainer.
• Supervised hands-on practice.

This portion must include a practical evaluation, where a trainer or evaluator observes the operator and documents that they can operate the forklift safely.

In many organizations, supervisors are directly involved in the workplace-specific training phase. They may assist with instruction, observe operator performance, complete evaluations, or be responsible for ensuring training and evaluations are properly documented.

Managers and supervisors are often also designated trainers & evaluators, responsible for facilitating the entire forklift operator certification process. For detailed forklift certification requirements, view our complete OSHA guide: [Forklift Training Requirements]

Now that we understand OSHA’s forklift training requirements, we can explore OSHA’s specific expectations of managers and supervisors.

OSHA Supervisor Requirements

OSHA standards and enforcement practices consistently place responsibility for safety oversight, enforcement, and correction of unsafe behavior on supervisors.

In practice, this means supervisors are expected to understand the hazards they oversee and take action when unsafe conditions or behaviors are observed.

Where OSHA Places Responsibility on Supervisors

Across OSHA standards and guidance, supervisors are expected to:

• Enforce company safety policies and procedures.
• Monitor work activities and identify unsafe behavior.
• Correct hazards and unsafe practices when they’re observed.
• Ensure employees receive required training and retraining.
• Act on incidents, near misses, and unsafe conditions.

These responsibilities are especially relevant in forklift operations because unsafe operation is often not obvious without training.

Supervisor Competence

Many regulatory organizations, including OSHA, frequently use the concept of “competence” when referring to individuals responsible for safety oversight, including supervisors.

A competent person has the knowledge, training, and experience necessary to identify hazards, understand applicable safety requirements, and take corrective action to eliminate or control those hazards.

Supervisors who oversee forklift operations are expected to be competent because they are responsible for observing work activities, correcting unsafe behavior, and enforcing safe work practices.

In the context of forklift operations, competence includes the ability to:

• Understand forklift theory and fundamentals, including stability, capacity, and safe operating principles.
• Recognize and correct unsafe forklift conditions and operations. 
• Identify when initial training and retraining is required.
• Enforce safe operating procedures consistently.

Without this level of understanding, supervisors cannot effectively carry out their duties and responsibilities.

How This Applies to Forklift Operations

Forklift safety relies heavily on active supervision. Unsafe practices such as overloading, improper load handling, unsafe travel, or failure to follow site-specific procedures often occur in plain view.

When supervisors lack forklift training, these issues can go unrecognized or uncorrected. This creates gaps in enforcement and places employers at risk, even when operator training has been completed.

The Risk of Untrained Supervisors

When supervisors do not clearly understand forklift safety and operational principles, they are unable to effectively promote and enforce safety guidelines and requirements. This results in the catastrophic failure of a company’s safety program and culture.

This is not an overstatement.

Failing to ensure that supervisors are competent increases the likelihood of operator injuries, equipment damage, OSHA citations, fines, and unplanned downtime. It also creates confusion around training status, retraining requirements, and whether forklift operations are actually being managed correctly.

Here are some of the most common ways these breakdowns can happen when supervisors do not receive proper training:

Unsafe Operation Goes Uncorrected

Supervisors regularly observe forklift operations during normal work activities. When they are not trained, they may see unsafe behaviors by operators without recognizing them as deviations from safety requirements and guidelines.

This often includes:

• Loads positioned incorrectly on the forks.
• Operation near or beyond capacity due to load center or attachments.
• Unsafe travel speed, turning, or fork height.
• Improper interaction with pedestrians or other equipment.

Because the supervisor does not recognize these as violations, they do not correct the behavior with the operator. This allows unsafe operations to continue, because the operator, and other workers, may incorrectly believe that the supervisor does not prioritize safety.

Inconsistent Enforcement

Supervisors are responsible for enforcing forklift safety requirements consistently. When supervisors lack training, enforcement decisions are often based on personal judgment rather than defined safety standards.

As a result:

• One supervisor may correct unsafe behavior, while another ignores it.
• Operators receive conflicting direction depending on who is on duty.
• Safety rules are enforced reactively instead of consistently.

Over time, operators stop treating forklift safety requirements as rules that must be followed and begin treating them as optional, depending on who’s watching or what shift they’re on.

Required Retraining Does Not Occur

OSHA requires retraining when unsafe operation is observed, when an operator demonstrates a lack of understanding, or when workplace conditions change.

If supervisors are not trained to recognize unsafe forklift operation, they can’t identify when retraining is required. Operators continue working without correction, and the same unsafe behaviors are repeated.

This allows risk to compound over time instead of being addressed early, often until an incident or near miss occurs.

Increased Exposure After Incidents and Inspections

After a forklift-related injury, near miss, or OSHA inspection, attention shifts to supervision and enforcement. Investigators look at what supervisors observed, what actions were taken, and whether unsafe behavior was allowed to continue.

When supervisors are untrained, employers may not be able to demonstrate:

• They ensured competent supervision.
• Effective oversight of forklift operations.
• Consistent enforcement of safety requirements.
• Timely corrective action or retraining.

At that point, operator training alone does not protect the organization from citations, fines, or liability. If an operator receives training, but the requirements in that training are not enforced by supervisors, your safety program is not defensible.

Damage to Safety Credibility and Worker Perception

Supervisors act as the representatives of a company’s safety expectations. How they respond to unsafe forklift operation directly shapes how operators perceive the importance of safety.

When supervisors observe unsafe behavior and do not address it, operators draw conclusions and assume that:

• Supervisors don’t care about safety and it’s just “lip-service”.
• Safety is not a priority for the company.
• Production comes before safety.
• Shortcuts and unsafe behavior are acceptable and possibly encouraged.

These perceptions are reinforced when the same unsafe behavior is repeatedly observed without correction.

Over time, operators stop self-correcting and stop taking safety requirements seriously. Even workers who were initially trained to follow proper procedures may begin to mirror what they see tolerated on the floor.

Once this perception takes hold, it becomes difficult to reverse. New training, updated policies, or reminders lose effectiveness because workers no longer believe enforcement will follow. At that point, the problem is no longer a lack of knowledge. It is a lack of trust that safety expectations will be upheld.

Minimum Forklift Training Requirements for Supervisors

At a minimum, supervisors who oversee forklift operations should complete the same general forklift training as the operators they supervise or the operations they manage.

This ensures supervisors understand the same safety principles, limitations, and operating expectations that apply to the workers they are responsible for overseeing.

What “Minimum” Training Means for Supervisors

For supervisors who do not operate forklifts themselves, the minimum expectation is general forklift training covering theory and safety fundamentals.

This includes training on:

• Forklift stability principles.
• Load handling and capacity limitations.
• Common forklift hazards.
• General safe operating practices.

This level of training allows supervisors to recognize unsafe operation, understand why it is unsafe, and intervene appropriately when issues arise.

Supervisors do not necessarily need to complete workplace-specific or hands-on practical training unless they operate forklifts themselves, even if only occasionally.

Using the Same Training as Operators

One of the simplest ways to meet the minimum requirement is for supervisors to complete the same general forklift training used for operators.

Supervisors can attend the same classroom training as operators. If the company uses online forklift training as part of a blended forklift operator training approach, supervisors can complete the same online course as operators.

This approach:

• Ensures supervisors and operators are working from the same safety foundation.
• Eliminates confusion about what operators were taught.
• Makes it easier for supervisors to reinforce training expectations.
• Creates consistency across shifts, departments, and locations.

Supervisors are better equipped to correct unsafe behavior when they are familiar with the exact training content operators received.

Training Alignment

When supervisors and operators complete the same foundational forklift training, expectations are aligned across the entire organization.

Operators are less likely to question corrections when supervisors reference the same principles they were trained on. Supervisors are more confident intervening because they understand the context behind the rules they are enforcing.

This alignment reduces friction, improves consistency, and strengthens the effectiveness of forklift safety programs over time.

Key Takeaway

Supervisors do not need to be expert forklift operators to oversee forklift operations effectively. However, they do need to understand the same core safety principles as the operators they supervise.

Providing supervisors with the same general forklift training, at minimum, as operators establishes a shared baseline of knowledge and creates a stronger foundation for enforcement, retraining, and compliance.

Supervisor-Specific Forklift Training

General forklift training establishes the baseline knowledge managers and supervisors need to recognize safe and unsafe operation. However, it does not address how supervisors are expected to carry out their safety duties and responsibilities.

Supervisors are responsible for making forklift safety work in practice and are expected to:

• Promote safe operation consistently.
• Correct unsafe behavior in real time.
• Ensure training and retraining happens when required.
• Maintain a safe work environment for operators at all times
• Enforce the company’s forklift safety guidelines and requirements across operators and shifts.

Training designed specifically for managers and supervisors goes beyond forklift operator training. It includes the same forklift fundamentals operators receive, while also providing supervisors with the knowledge and tools they need to effectively promote, enforce, and manage forklift safety.

What Supervisor-Specific Forklift Training Should Cover

Forklift training for managers and supervisors should be designed around safety duties and responsibilities and develop the skills needed to carry them out effectively.

In addition to covering forklift fundamentals, a strong supervisor-focused training program should cover:

• What an effective forklift training program should include.
• Forklift training requirements including triggers for retraining.
• How forklift safety guidelines are promoted during daily operations.
• How supervisors are expected to intervene when unsafe behavior is observed.
• Enforcement measures for addressing unsafe behavior and noncompliance.
• Measures for corrective actions and communication.

Continued Training Alignment

Forklift training for managers and supervisors training should build on the same forklift fundamentals operators are trained on, ideally, integrated into the same training program.

As mentioned earlier, when supervisors and operators share the same foundational training, enforcement is clearer and more consistent. Supervisors know exactly what operators were taught, and operators recognize the same principles when supervisors intervene or correct unsafe behavior.

This alignment reduces confusion, limits pushback, and helps ensure forklift safety expectations are applied consistently across shifts and departments

Coming Soon

We are currently developing a dedicated Forklift Safety for Managers and Supervisors course built around these principles. It includes core forklift fundamentals along with practical guidance on promoting, enforcing, and managing forklift safety. This section will be updated with additional details once the course is available.

Supervisors as Trainers and Evaluators

Many companies designate managers or supervisors  as internal trainers to deliver training or conduct practical evaluations for forklift operators. When supervisors take on this role, general or even supervisor-specific forklift training alone may not be sufficient.

OSHA requires that all forklift training and evaluation be conducted by persons who have the knowledge, training, and experience to train operators and evaluate their competence.

Building Trainer Competence

General forklift operator training teaches supervisors what safe operation looks like. Supervisor-specific training teaches them how to manage programs and enforce safety guidelines. Neither, however, teach them how to instruct others or properly evaluate operator competence.

These are distinct skill sets.

Supervisors often have a deep understanding of workplace operations and the challenges operators may face. With their knowledge and experience, they are well-positioned to train and evaluate operators effectively.

By enhancing their fundamental forklift knowledge and teaching abilities through additional training, they can better communicate safety protocols, operating techniques, and evaluation criteria to operators.

Train-the-Trainer

Forklift Train-the-trainer programs help supervisors develop the competence needed to train and evaluate operators effectively. These programs typically cover:

• How to facilitate classroom instruction.
• How to effectively deliver workplace-specific forklift training.
• Proper practical evaluation techniques.
• How to recognize when operators demonstrate competence.
• Documentation requirements for training and evaluations.

Supervisors responsible for certifying operators benefit from completing a forklift train-the-trainer program before conducting training and evaluations.

For more details on trainer qualifications, see our complete guide on who can train and evaluate forklift operators.

Conclusion

Supervisors need forklift training.

Without it, they cannot effectively recognize unsafe operation, enforce safety requirements consistently, or identify when retraining is required. Even when operators receive comprehensive training, untrained supervisors create enforcement gaps that undermine the company’s entire safety program.

At a minimum, supervisors should complete the same general forklift training as the operators they oversee. This establishes a shared understanding of forklift fundamentals, safety principles, and operating expectations.

Companies that go further by providing supervisor-specific forklift training create stronger safety programs. Supervisors who understand not just what safe operation looks like, but also how to promote, enforce, and manage forklift safety, are better equipped to prevent incidents and maintain compliance.

Supervisors who train or evaluate operators need additional preparation through train-the-trainer programs to develop the competence required to certify operators properly.

Investing in supervisor training is an investment in the effectiveness of the entire forklift safety program. Supervisors who understand forklift safety create workplaces where forklift safety is actually practiced, not just written in policies and manuals.

Do supervisors need forklift training?

Yes. Supervisors who oversee forklift operations need to complete general forklift training at minimum, even if they do not operate forklifts themselves. This ensures they understand the safety requirements they are responsible for enforcing. 

What specific forklift training do supervisors need?

At minimum, supervisors need the same general forklift training operators receive, covering forklift fundamentals, stability principles, load handling, and safe operating practices. 

Supervisor-specific forklift training programs go further by developing supervisors’ ability to manage forklift safety programs, enforce requirements consistently, intervene effectively when issues arise, and oversee forklift operations with confidence.

Supervisors who operate forklifts, even occasionally, must complete full forklift certification including workplace-specific training and practical evaluation. 

Can supervisors conduct forklift training and evaluations?

Yes. Supervisors can train and evaluate forklift operators if they have the knowledge, training, and experience to carry out the training effectively. Completing a forklift trainer and evaluators program helps supervisors develop the competence needed to deliver training and conduct proper evaluations.

Is online forklift training acceptable for supervisors?

Yes. Online training is an acceptable method for delivering the general forklift training component to supervisors. OSHA recognizes online training as a valid delivery method for formal instruction. 

How often should supervisors receive forklift training?

Supervisors should follow the same forklift refresher training schedule as operators. OSHA requires evaluation at least every three years, and industry standards recommend complete refresher training every three years. Retraining may also be required when workplace conditions change or when supervisors demonstrate gaps in their understanding of forklift safety.