1910.178(a): Forklift general requirements
This section covers the fire protection, design, maintenance and use of electric and engine-powered industrial trucks such as fork trucks, platform lift trucks and motorized hand trucks, but not farm vehicles or vehicles mainly for earthmoving or road hauling. New trucks must meet the referenced ANSI design standard and carry an approval mark, and modifications that affect capacity or safe operation may not be made without the manufacturer's prior written approval.
Key takeaways
- 1910.178(a) is part of OSHA's general industry standards (29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart N).
- OSHA cited it 1,193 times in the last 3 years, in 989 inspections, with $2,318,485 in current penalties.
- 21 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: WI (95), FL (73), MD (71).
- Related part: 1910.178(a)(4) (554 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1910.178(a) ("General requirements") is one requirement inside 1910.178 Powered industrial trucks, an OSHA general industry standard (Part 1910, Subpart N). It includes 7 sub-paragraphs. The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(a) General requirements. 1,193 citations
(1) This section contains safety requirements relating to fire protection, design, maintenance, and use of fork trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines. This section does not apply to compressed air or nonflammable compressed gas-operated industrial trucks, nor to farm vehicles, nor to vehicles intended primarily for earth moving or over-the-road hauling. Open (a)(1) 2 citations
(2) All new powered industrial trucks acquired and used by an employer shall meet the design and construction requirements for powered industrial trucks established in the “American National Standard for Powered Industrial Trucks, Part II, ANSI B56.1-1969”, which is incorporated by reference as specified in § 1910.6, except for vehicles intended primarily for earth moving or over-the-road hauling. Open (a)(2) 5 citations
(3) Approved trucks shall bear a label or some other identifying mark indicating approval by the testing laboratory. See paragraph (a)(7) of this section and paragraph 405 of “American National Standard for Powered Industrial Trucks, Part II, ANSI B56.1-1969”, which is incorporated by reference in paragraph (a)(2) of this section and which provides that if the powered industrial truck is accepted by a nationally recognized testing laboratory it should be so marked. Open (a)(3) 4 citations
(4) Modifications and additions which affect capacity and safe operation shall not be performed by the customer or user without manufacturers prior written approval. Capacity, operation, and maintenance instruction plates, tags, or decals shall be changed accordingly. Open (a)(4) 554 citations
(5) If the truck is equipped with front-end attachments other than factory installed attachments, the user shall request that the truck be marked to identify the attachments and show the approximate weight of the truck and attachment combination at maximum elevation with load laterally centered. Open (a)(5) 263 citations
(6) The user shall see that all nameplates and markings are in place and are maintained in a legible condition. Open (a)(6) 365 citations
(7) As used in this section, the term, approved truck or approved industrial truck means a truck that is listed or approved for fire safety purposes for the intended use by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, using nationally recognized testing standards. Refer to § 1910.155(c)(3)(iv)(A) for definition of listed, and to § 1910.7 for definition of nationally recognized testing laboratory.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1910.178.
Injuries linked to this rule
21 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1910.178(a).
At approximately 3:56 p.m. on February 26, 2025, employees were in the process of removing a Blowout Preventer (BOP) from a wellhead using a forklift and rigging. After completing the rigging process, Employee #1 was assisting with the lift when the chain securing the BOP…
Full case list with employer, penalty, filters and download is part of OSHA Data (Purple Belt).
Unlock with Purple BeltWhere and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 64 |
| 2024 | 438 |
| 2025 | 425 |
| 2026 | 266 |
Top states: WI (95), FL (73), MD (71), TN (63), OR (52)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| MW MANUFACTURERS, INC | DENVER, CO | $39,017 |
| TINDALL CORPORATION | SAN ANTONIO, TX | $33,100 |
| RN-GAINESVILLE, LLC | GAINESVILLE, FL | $23,643 |
| SEMINOLE MASONRY, LLC | SANFORD, FL | $19,862 |
| COWAN GROUP ENGINEERING | SASAKWA, OK | $16,550 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1910.178(a), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Powered Industrial Trucks (2023-09-19)
- Applicability of 29 CFR 1910.178 to pick-up trucks such as Ford Ranger, Chevrolet S-10 and Dodge 1500. (2006-07-13)
- Installation of strobe lights on forklifts as an additional warning device for forklifts used in vessel holds. (2004-12-21)
- Powered Industrial Truck 1910.178(l) training requirements applicable to construction; training for skid-steer loader operators. (2004-11-05)
- Written approval requirements for powered industrial truck modifications and additions that affect capacity or safe operation (2004-03-30)
- Powered industrial truck addition/modification approval and marking requirements (2002-07-03)
- Applicability of 1910.178 to earth moving equipment and skid steer loaders. (2000-03-07)
- Forklifts: free rigging requires manufacturer approval. (1999-10-22)
- Fork inspection requirements for powered industrial trucks. (1999-10-22)
- Earthmoving equipment is not covered by 1910.178; skid- steer equipment may be covered. (1999-10-21)
- Powered industrial truck modifications and approval. (1997-04-11)
- Brake drawbar drag requirements for forklifts. (1990-06-21)
- Evaluation of plan to retrofit fork lift equipment with an operator safety restraint system. (1986-11-17)
- Lifting capacity on mechanical material handling equipment may not be changed without the manufacturer's prior written approval. (1985-03-05)
- Use of fork extensions on forklifts. (1980-10-02)
Related parts of this rule
- 1910.178(a)(4) 554 citations
- 1910.178(a)(6) 365 citations
- 1910.178(a)(5) 263 citations
- 1910.178(a)(2) 5 citations
- 1910.178(a)(3) 4 citations
- 1910.178(a)(1) 2 citations
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Frequently asked questions
Can we modify a forklift attachment?
Not if it affects capacity and safe operation, unless the manufacturer gives prior written approval.
Are rough terrain or earthmoving machines covered?
Vehicles intended primarily for earth moving or over-the-road hauling are not covered by this section.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1910.178 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-10-20
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.