Legal Requirements for Training

There are very few legal requirements to train for a job as a forklift operator. The requirements that do exist are for your safety and the safety of those you might work with. As explained by the National Career Service, you must be at least 16 years old to begin forklift training as that is the minimum age for operating the equipment. If you plan to work in a port or dock setting, you must be 18.

The law also requires forklift operators to be in reasonably good health. While the measure of good health is not explicitly defined anywhere in the regulations, it is understood that operators cannot suffer from any disease or physical condition that would impair their ability to operate a forklift safely. It is generally the employer’s responsibility to monitor the health of its operators.
As a training provider, we do not require any kind of health exam to begin training for a forklift certificate. Please bear in mind that any future employers may require you to undergo basic health screening before being hired.