Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, often referred to as the General Duty Clause, requires employers to "furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees". Section 5(a)(2) requires employers to "comply with occupational safety and health standards promulgated under this Act".
 

Note: Twenty-four states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies.

General Industry (29 CFR 1910)

• 1910 Subpart N, Materials handling and storage
  • 1910.178, Powered industrial trucks
    • 1910.178(a)(2) [General design and construction standards]
    • 1910.178(a)(3) [Labeling]
    • 1910.178(a)(7) [Approved truck]
    • 1910.178(f)(1)  [Storage and handling of liquid fuels]
    • 1910.178(f)(2) [Storage and handling of liquid petroleum gas]
    • 1910.178(i)(1) [Carbon monoxide levels]
    • 1910.178(j) [Dockboards
    ]

Marine Terminals (29 CFR 1917)

• 1917 Subpart C, Cargo handling gear and equipment
  • 1917.43, Powered industrial trucks
  • 1917.44, General rules applicable to vehicles
  • 1917.50, Certification of marine terminal material handling devices (See also mandatory appendix I, of this part)
• Longshoring Industry. OSHA Publication 2232, (2001). Also available as a 480 KB PDF, 291 pages. Contains all the safety and health standards concerning the marine terminal and longshoring industries, as contained in 29 CFR 1917 and 29 CFR 1918) as of June 30, 2000.

Longshoring (29 CFR 1918)

• 1918 Subpart G, Cargo handling gear and equipment other than ship's gear
  • 1918.65, Mechanically-powered vehicles used aboard vessels
• Longshoring Industry. OSHA Publication 2232, (2001). Also available as a 480 KB PDF, 291 pages. Contains all the safety and health standards concerning the marine terminal and longshoring industries, as contained in 29 CFR 1917 and 29 CFR 1918) as of June 30, 2000.

• Powered Industrial Trucks. Notice 70:57146, (2005, September 30). Describes corrections to 29 CFR 1910.178.
• Powered Industrial Trucks. Final Rules 68:32637-32638, (2003, June 2). States that 29 CFR 1910.178(m)(12) is unenforceable by OSHA. This technical amendment deletes a Powered Industrial Trucks Standard covering the use of powered industrial trucks to lift personnel. It is being deleted because it was invalidly promulgated from a non-mandatory provision of a national consensus standard.
• Powered Industrial Truck Operator Training; Final Rule. Final Rules 63:66237-66274, (1998, December 1). Revises existing requirements for powered industrial truck operator training (codified at 29 CFR 1910.178(l)) and issuing new requirements to improve the training of these operators.
• Search all available Federal Registers on powered industrial trucks.

• 29 CFR 1910.147 - The Control of Hazardous Energy - Enforcement Policy and Inspection Procedures. CPL 02-00-147, (2008, February 11). 
• Shipyard Employment "Tool Bag" Directive. CPL 02-00-142, (2006, August 3). Provides guidance for implementing intervention and inspection programs to reduce or eliminate workplace hazards related to shipyard employment.
• Longshoring and Marine Terminals "Tool Shed" Directive. CPL 02-00-139, (2006, May 23). Provides guidance concerning the application of occupational safety and health standards in longshoring and marine terminal activities, and ensures consistent enforcement of OSHA's marine cargo handling industry standards (29 CFR 1917 and 29 CFR 1918).
• Compliance Assistance for the Powered Industrial Truck Operator Training Standards. CPL 02-01-028 [CPL 2-1.28A], (2000, November 30).
• Chocking of Tractor Trailer under the Powered Industrial Truck Standard. CPL 02-01-030 [CPL 2-1.30], (1999, October 19). Establishes policy to ensure proper enforcement of 29 CFR 1910.178(k)(1) and 29 CFR 1910.178(m)(7).
• Logging Operations, Inspection Procedures and Interpretive Guidance Including Twelve Previously Stayed Provisions. CPL 02-01-022 [CPL 2-1.22], (1996, September 27). Clarifies the use of overhead guards for forklifts.
• Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices -- Inspection Procedures and Interpretation Guidelines. STD 01-16-007 [STD 1-16.7], (1991, July 1). States that employees using industrial trucks under overhead lines must be trained on the electrical hazards involved.
• 29 CFR 1910.151(c), Medical Services and First Aid; 29 CFR 1926.50 and .51, Medical Service and First Aid, and ... STD 01-08-002 [STD 1-8.2], (1982, March 8). Provides guidelines regarding eye wash and body flushing facilities required for immediate emergency use in electric storage battery charging and maintenance areas.
• 29 CFR 1910.178(k)(1) and (m)(7): Mechanical Means to Secure Trucks or Trailers to a Loading Dock. STD 01-11-007 [STD 1-11.7], (1981, August 5). Discusses the use of mechanical means to secure trucks or trailers to a loading dock in situations where they provide the equivalent protection of wheel chocks.
• Disparity Between 29 CFR 1910.178(c)(2)(vii) and Table N-1, 29 CFR 1910.178(c)(2). STD 01-11-006 [STD 1-11.6A], (1979, February 19).
• 29 CFR 1910.178(g)(2); Battery Charging Stations for Fork Lifts and Other Industrial Trucks. STD 01-11-004 [STD 1-11.4], (1978, October 30). Clarifies 29 CFR 1910.178(g)(2) as it applies to "battery charging" areas where power industrial truck batteries are charged only.
• 29 CFR 1910.178(m)(6) Powered Industrial Trucks; Truck Operations. STD 01-11-003 [STD 1-11.3], (1978, October 30). Provides guidelines on citing 29 CFR 1910.178(m)(6) when trucks use a door opening device for opening or closing railroad freight car doors.
• Search all available directives on powered industrial trucks.

• Evaluation of what is considered a safe speed to operate powered industrial trucks (forklifts). (2004, November 4).
• Powered industrial trucks must not be placed into service, or must be removed from service, when any condition exists that adversely affects the safety of the vehicle. (2004, September 13).
• Requirements for the sound level of a warning device (horn) located on a forklift. (2004, August 13).
• Fall protection requirements for elevated platforms of powered industrial trucks; body belts versus harnesses. (2004, June 28).
• Written approval requirements for powered industrial truck modifications and additions that affect capacity or safe operation. (2004, March 30).
• Batteries in powered industrial trucks must be secured horizontally and/or vertically. (2003, March 18).
• Acceptability of using extensible boom forklifts to lift steel joist for spreading by hand. (2003, January 23).
• Powered industrial truck addition/modification approval and marking requirements. (2002, July 3).
• Clarification of PIT requirements covering: fall protection and safety platforms, seatbelts, LP-gas storage, smoking, and eye wash stations. (2002, March 8).
• Host employers may require site-specific forklift training of visiting workers. (1999, October 28).
• Clarification of systems for electronic access to MSDSs. (1999, February 18).
• Trailer trucks must be restrained/chocked during forklift dock operations. (1998, March 4).
• Reporting over-the-road fatalities; refusing entry and employee interviews to an OSHA inspector; and OSHA's policy associated with seat belts on forklift trucks. (1997, May 28).
• Cross-view back-up mirrors on delivery trucks. (1997, January 24).
• Clarification regarding the policy for the use of seat belts on powered industrial trucks in general industry. (1996, December 11).
• Search all available standard interpretations on powered industrial trucks.