Order Picker (Cherry Picker) Certification

An order picker lifts you along with the load. Here is the training OSHA requires, what OSHA says about fall protection, and how it differs from a forklift.

The short answer

Yes, you need training and an evaluation before you run an order picker. OSHA treats it as a forklift, a Class II powered industrial truck, so 29 CFR 1910.178(l) applies in full. And because the platform lifts you, fall protection comes with it: OSHA's eTool tells order picker operators to wear properly fitted fall protection, and OSHA strongly encourages a body harness over a body belt. The forklift standard itself does not spell out a harness rule.

Do you need certification to drive an order picker?

Yes. Under 1910.178(l)(1)(ii), no employee may operate a powered industrial truck, "except for training purposes," until they have completed the required training. OSHA's Powered Industrial Trucks eTool lists the order picker as a Class II truck, the same class as the reach truck.

Certification then works the same as for any forklift. Training combines "formal instruction," "practical training," and "evaluation of the operator's performance in the workplace" ((l)(2)(ii)). The employer then certifies it with the operator's name, the training date, the evaluation date, and who trained and evaluated ((l)(6)).

What is different is the extra hazard. OSHA's eTool gives one "potential hazard" for order pickers, and it is "Falling."

What is an order picker, and is it the same as a cherry picker?

An order picker is an electric narrow-aisle truck where you ride up on a platform with the forks. OSHA's eTool describes order pickers as "designed to lift the operator to retrieve items." Instead of moving whole pallets, you stop at a rack location and pick cases or single items onto a pallet or tote on the forks.

In warehouses, people often call it a "cherry picker." That nickname causes real confusion, because the same word is used for bucket trucks and boom lifts. Those machines are aerial lifts, covered by a different OSHA standard: 29 CFR 1910.67 in general industry and 1926.453 in construction. OSHA defines an aerial device as a "vehicle-mounted device, telescoping or articulating, or both, which is used to position personnel."

Forklift training does not qualify you for an aerial lift, and aerial lift training does not qualify you for an order picker. If a job post says "cherry picker," ask which machine they mean.

Order picker vs reach truck vs forklift: what is different?

The big difference is what goes up. On a forklift or reach truck, only the load rises. On an order picker, you rise with it, which changes the hazards and the training.

Order picker Reach truck Sit-down forklift
OSHA class Class II Class II Class I, IV or V
What goes up The operator and the forks The forks and load The forks and load
Main hazards in OSHA's eTool Falling Overloading on high lift, tipover Tipover, falling loads, striking pedestrians
Fall protection for the operator Yes, per OSHA's eTool; body harness strongly encouraged No, operator stays at floor level No, operator stays at floor level

Because the trucks differ this much, each one is its own type for training. Moving from any of them to an order picker triggers training and an evaluation under 1910.178(l)(4)(ii)(D). See our reach truck certification guide for the reach truck side, and the Class II section of our forklift classes guide.

What fall protection does an order picker operator need?

Fall protection that is fitted to you and that you have been trained to use. OSHA's eTool puts it this way: "Wear appropriate fall protection equipment that is properly fitted and adjusted. Ensure that employees are trained in the proper use of the fall protection equipment."

The legal route is less direct than most people expect. In a June 28, 2004 interpretation letter, OSHA said its forklift standard "does not have provisions that require either the use of a body harness or safety belt" on elevated platforms. But OSHA can still cite an employer under Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, the General Duty Clause, and it looks to the industry standard ASME B56.1 to decide whether the hazard is recognized. The letter quotes that standard's 2000 edition, which required "restraining means such as railings, chains, cable, body belt(s) with lanyard(s), or deceleration devices" whenever an operator-up high lift truck elevates personnel.

On harness versus belt, OSHA was clear: it "strongly encourages employers to use body harnesses in place of body belts." For the lanyard and where it attaches, follow the order picker's operator manual.

Order picker with the operator raised on the platform, wearing a harness tied to the truck's anchor point Rack Anchor point on the truck Full-body harness Operator rides up with the platform No one below (m)(2) Simplified drawing, not to scale
The operator is tied off to an anchor point on the truck. Under 1910.178(m)(2), "no person shall be allowed to stand or pass under the elevated portion of any truck, whether loaded or empty."

What training does an order picker operator need?

Everything a forklift operator needs, applied to the order picker, plus fall protection. In order:

  1. Formal instruction. The classroom topics in (l)(3): controls, stability, capacity, inspection, battery charging, and workplace hazards like "narrow aisles and other restricted places."
  2. Fall protection training. How to put on, adjust, and use the fall protection equipment on your truck, as the eTool calls for.
  3. Practical training on the order picker. Driving and raising the platform under the "direct supervision" of a qualified trainer, where it "does not endanger the trainee or other employees" ((l)(2)(i)).
  4. An evaluation in your workplace, by someone with "the knowledge, training, and experience" to judge competence ((l)(2)(iii)). Our free operator evaluation form shows what gets checked.

After that, the employer signs the certification. Re-evaluation is due at least every three years ((l)(4)(iii)), and sooner after an accident, a near miss, or unsafe operation. Details are on our forklift certification expiration page.

Running a pick crew?

Team seats cover the classroom part for your whole crew: $50 per operator for 2 to 4, $40 for 5 to 9, and $30 for 10 or more. You add operators and track completions from one team dashboard, then run the harness training and evaluations on your own trucks.

Certify Your Operators

Does an online course cover order pickers?

The classroom part, yes. The rest, no. Here is exactly where our $59 course stands:

  • Covered: what an order picker is and that it lifts the operator, that it needs fall protection training, Class II trucks, stability, load handling, inspections, battery charging, and pedestrian safety. All seven forklift classes are covered at overview level.
  • Not covered: fitting and tying off a harness, your truck's platform controls, and driving at height. Those happen on the truck, with your employer.

Finishing the course gives you the general classroom part, a certificate, and a wallet card. You are not cleared to run an order picker until your employer has trained you on it and evaluated you. Want to check what you know first? Try the free order picker practice test.

Get Certified

How long does order picker training take?

OSHA sets no minimum hours. The rule asks for competence "as demonstrated by the successful completion of the training and evaluation" ((l)(1)(i)), and the trainer decides when you have it. Our classroom course takes under an hour. The hands-on part and harness training depend on your truck and your racking. See how long it takes to get forklift certified for typical timelines.

Is an order picker harder than a forklift? Five habits for new operators

It is different more than harder: the big change is working at height. These habits come from OSHA's rules and guidance:

  1. Harness on and attached before the platform leaves the floor. Fall protection only works if it is connected the whole time you are up.
  2. Keep coworkers out from under you. Under (m)(2), nobody may stand or pass under the elevated portion of the truck.
  3. No passengers unless the truck is built for them. Under (m)(3), "unauthorized personnel shall not be permitted to ride on powered industrial trucks."
  4. Keep arms and legs inside. Under (m)(4), no limbs "between the uprights of the mast or outside the running lines of the truck."
  5. Lower the platform and forks before you turn. OSHA's eTool: "Never turn with forks elevated."

Other truck types

Each truck type gets its own evaluation. See reach truck and stand-up forklift certification, electric pallet jack certification, and telehandler and rough terrain forklift certification, or the full list of forklift classes.

Frequently asked questions

Is an order picker a forklift?
Legally, yes. OSHA's forklift standard, 29 CFR 1910.178, covers powered industrial trucks, and OSHA's eTool lists the order picker under Class II, electric motor narrow aisle trucks. The same training and evaluation rule applies to it as to any sit-down forklift.
Does a reach truck certification cover an order picker?
No. They share Class II, but an order picker lifts the operator and a reach truck does not, so the truck-related topics differ. Under 1910.178(l)(4)(ii)(D), moving to a different type of truck means training and an evaluation on it, plus fall protection training for the order picker.
Does OSHA require a harness or a body belt on an order picker?
OSHA's forklift standard names neither. In a 2004 letter, OSHA said it can cite employers under the General Duty Clause and looks to the ASME B56.1 industry standard, whose 2000 edition called for restraining means such as railings, chains, or body belts with lanyards. The same letter says OSHA "strongly encourages employers to use body harnesses in place of body belts." Follow your truck manufacturer's instructions for the harness and anchor point.
How old do you have to be to run an order picker?
In non-farm jobs, federal child labor rules bar anyone under 18 from operating a high-lift truck (29 CFR 570.58). An order picker raises its platform to rack height, so plan on 18. Our age requirements guide explains the rule.
Can I get order picker certified online?
Only the classroom part. OSHA training has three parts: formal instruction, practical training, and an evaluation in the workplace. The last two, and fall protection training on your harness, happen on the order picker with your employer, who then certifies you.

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