1926.602(c): Construction Lift Trucks and Industrial Trucks
Employers must make sure industrial trucks on construction sites have their rated capacity clearly posted and never exceeded. No changes affecting capacity or safe operation may be made without the manufacturer's written approval, loads shared by two trucks cannot exceed either truck's capacity, steering knobs are restricted, and high lift rider trucks need overhead guards meeting ANSI B56.1-1969.
Key takeaways
- 1926.602(c) is part of OSHA's construction standards (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart O).
- OSHA cited it 389 times in the last 3 years, in 349 inspections, with $940,528 in current penalties.
- 12 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: MD (37), TX (32), NH (31).
- Related part: 1926.602(c)(1) (389 citations).
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1926.602(c) ("Lifting and hauling equipment (other than equipment covered under subpart N of this part)") is one requirement inside 1926.602 Material handling equipment, an OSHA construction standard (Part 1926, Subpart O). It includes 12 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
(c) Lifting and hauling equipment (other than equipment covered under subpart N of this part). 389 citations
(1) Industrial trucks shall meet the requirements of § 1926.600 and the following: Open (c)(1) 389 citations
(i) Lift trucks, stackers, etc., shall have the rated capacity clearly posted on the vehicle so as to be clearly visible to the operator. When auxiliary removable counterweights are provided by the manufacturer, corresponding alternate rated capacities also shall be clearly shown on the vehicle. These ratings shall not be exceeded. Open (c)(1)(i) 20 citations
(ii) No modifications or additions which affect the capacity or safe operation of the equipment shall be made without the manufacturer's written approval. If such modifications or changes are made, the capacity, operation, and maintenance instruction plates, tags, or decals shall be changed accordingly. In no case shall the original safety factor of the equipment be reduced. Open (c)(1)(ii) 111 citations
(iii) If a load is lifted by two or more trucks working in unison, the proportion of the total load carried by any one truck shall not exceed its capacity.
(iv) Steering or spinner knobs shall not be attached to the steering wheel unless the steering mechanism is of a type that prevents road reactions from causing the steering handwheel to spin. The steering knob shall be mounted within the periphery of the wheel. 1 citations
(v) All high lift rider industrial trucks shall be equipped with overhead guards which meet the configuration and structural requirements as defined in paragraph 421 of American National Standards Institute B56.1-1969, Safety Standards for Powered Industrial Trucks.
(vi) All industrial trucks in use shall meet the applicable requirements of design, construction, stability, inspection, testing, maintenance, and operation, as defined in American National Standards Institute B56.1-1969, Safety Standards for Powered Industrial Trucks. Open (c)(1)(vi) 171 citations
(vii) Unauthorized personnel shall not be permitted to ride on powered industrial trucks. A safe place to ride shall be provided where riding of trucks is authorized. Open (c)(1)(vii) 33 citations
(viii) Whenever a truck is equipped with vertical only, or vertical and horizontal controls elevatable with the lifting carriage or forks for lifting personnel, the following additional precautions shall be taken for the protection of personnel being elevated. Open (c)(1)(viii) 53 citations
(A) Use of a safety platform firmly secured to the lifting carriage and/or forks. Open (c)(1)(viii)(a) 48 citations
(B) Means shall be provided whereby personnel on the platform can shut off power to the truck. 2 citations
(C) Such protection from falling objects as indicated necessary by the operating conditions shall be provided.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1926.602.
Injuries linked to this rule
12 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1926.602(c).
At 10:00 a.m. on December 9, 2024, an employee working as a truck driver for a trucking company was delivering caliche for back-fill to a work site. The site was a graded, rolled and compacted well drilling patch site. The truck-trailer became stuck so a…
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 | 27 |
| 2024 | 129 |
| 2025 | 138 |
| 2026 | 95 |
Top states: MD (37), TX (32), NH (31), GA (24), NJ (24)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| 66886 - ALEXI CONSTRUCTION INC | LOUISVILLE, KY | $21,000 |
| PC CONSTRUCTION COMPANY | SOUTH BURLINGTON, VT | $17,000 |
| DWS FRAMING PRO CONSTRUCTION LLC | ELLENDALE, DE | $16,550 |
| AA ACTION FENCE COMPANY, LLC | KATHLEEN, GA | $13,240 |
| 160090 - BLUE DOT READI-MIX, LLC | CHARLOTTE, NC | $12,890 |
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1926.602(c), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Acceptability of using extensible boom forklifts to lift steel joist for spreading by hand (2003-01-23)
- Applicable standards to lifting personnel on a platform supported by a rough-terrain forklift. (2001-11-27)
- Powered industrial truck training content, certification, and record maintenance. (1999-10-01)
- Forklifts in construction: elevating personnel and operator training. (1999-09-30)
Related parts of this rule
- 1926.602(c)(1) 389 citations
- 1926.602(c)(1)(vi) 171 citations
- 1926.602(c)(1)(ii) 111 citations
- 1926.602(c)(1)(viii) 53 citations
- 1926.602(c)(1)(viii)(A) 48 citations
- 1926.602(c)(1)(vii) 33 citations
- 1926.602(c)(1)(i) 20 citations
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Frequently asked questions
Must the forklift capacity be posted?
Yes. The rated capacity must be clearly posted on the vehicle so it is clearly visible to the operator, and must not be exceeded.
Can we modify a lift truck?
Not in ways that affect capacity or safe operation without the manufacturer's written approval.
What if two trucks lift one load?
The share of the load carried by any one truck shall not exceed its capacity.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1926.602 (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 2026-10-19
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.