Reach Truck and Stand-Up Forklift Certification

Does a forklift certification cover a reach truck?

Not on its own. OSHA's training rule, 29 CFR 1910.178(l), ties training to the truck you actually drive. Three parts of the rule decide it:

• (l)(3)(i)(A) requires training in "operating instructions, warnings, and precautions for the types of truck the operator will be authorized to operate."
• (l)(4)(ii)(D) requires refresher training when "the operator is assigned to drive a different type of truck," and (l)(4)(i) says that training includes an evaluation.
• (l)(5) says you do not repeat a topic you were already trained in, as long as that training fits the truck and you have "been evaluated and found competent to operate the truck safely."

OSHA spelled out what "type" means in a 1999 interpretation letter. Switching brands of the same type needs no new training. Switching types does, when the truck-related or workplace topics differ. A sit-down counterbalanced forklift and a reach truck differ on many truck-related topics: controls, stance, steering, stability, and load handling at height.

So the practical answer is: keep your certificate, tell your employer you have not run a reach truck, and ask for training and an evaluation on one. Our $59 online course covers the classroom part for all seven forklift classes, including Class II reach trucks, at overview level. It does not replace instruction specific to the reach truck, hands-on time, or the evaluation, which your employer provides.

Reach truck vs forklift: what is different to drive?

Almost everything your hands and feet do. The safety rules are the same, but the controls, your stance, and the right move in a tip-over all change. Rows marked "Crown RR 5700" come from that model's spec sheet; other makes differ, so check your own truck's operator manual.

The tip-over rows come from OSHA's eTool, which says "operators of stand-up forklifts with rear-entry access should step backwards off the forklift if a tipover occurs." It is the opposite of the sit-down advice, which is why it has to be trained, not guessed. For why both trucks tip in the first place, see our stability triangle explainer.

What training does a reach truck operator need?

The same three parts as any forklift, under 1910.178(l)(2)(ii): "formal instruction," "practical training," and "evaluation of the operator's performance in the workplace."

1. Formal instruction. Classroom topics such as stability, capacity, inspection, and pedestrian safety. OSHA's own examples include "interactive computer learning," so an online course can cover this part.
2. Practical training on a reach truck. Under (l)(2)(i), a trainee drives only under the direct supervision of someone with "the knowledge, training, and experience to train operators," and only where it "does not endanger the trainee or other employees." An empty aisle or a marked practice area works for this.
3. An evaluation in your workplace. A qualified person watches you run the reach truck on real tasks in your building. Our free operator evaluation form shows what an evaluator checks.

Then the employer certifies it. Under (l)(6), the record must show "the name of the operator, the date of the training, the date of the evaluation, and the identity of the person(s) performing the training or evaluation." The rule does not require the record to list truck types. Writing down that the operator was evaluated on a reach truck is good practice, not a requirement, and it settles the question at the next audit.

The workplace topics in (l)(3)(ii) matter more on a reach truck than on most trucks, especially "narrow aisles and other restricted places" and "load manipulation, stacking, and unstacking." Our OSHA certification requirements guide lists every required topic.

Do you need a separate reach truck certification card?

No card exists from OSHA for any truck. OSHA does not issue or approve forklift cards; the employer certifies each operator. So "reach truck certified" means one thing: your employer trained you, evaluated you on a reach truck, and wrote it down.

A course certificate, including ours, proves you finished the formal instruction. It is useful proof for a new employer, and it shortens their job, but it is not the final certification. There is no such thing as a "reach truck license." Our forklift certification card guide explains what a valid record has to show.

Is a reach truck harder to drive? Tips for new operators

It is different more than harder: new controls, a standing stance, and work that happens higher up. These six habits come from OSHA's rules and guidance:

1. Learn the controls in an open area first, under supervision, as (l)(2)(i) requires, before you work a live aisle.
2. Never turn with the forks raised. OSHA's eTool lists it plainly: "Never turn with forks elevated."
3. Reach slowly at height. The eTool says to "reduce the load below the capacity of the reach truck as the mast is fully extended" and to "slowly and carefully extend the reach mechanism forward" on the top tier. Heaviest loads go on the bottom.
4. Watch your own end on turns. OSHA warns that the rear of a lift truck "swings in the opposite direction of the turn." On a reach truck, that end is the one you are standing in, close to rack uprights.
5. Keep every limb inside the truck. Under 1910.178(m)(4), no arms or legs "outside the running lines of the truck." Crown fits its RR 5700 with an Entry Bar switch whose sensors slow travel to encourage "safe foot positioning inside the truck."
6. Know the stand-up tip-over move. Step backward off a rear-entry stand-up truck. Do not use the sit-down habit of staying in.

Want to test yourself first? Try the free reach truck practice test or the general forklift practice test.

Other truck types

Each of these is its own type with its own evaluation: order picker certification (the operator rides up, so fall protection is added), electric pallet jack certification, and telehandler and rough terrain forklift certification. For the full map of truck types, see the 7 forklift classes.