Updating OSHA’s Construction Industry Standard

for Powered Industrial Trucks 29 CFR 1926.602

Kenneth Stevanus
Mechanical Engineer

Directorate of Standards and Guidance

OSHA

July 1, 2020
 Summary

OSHA is proposing an update of the incorporation by reference in

the powered industrial truck standards by:
 Referencing design and construction provisions of more recent
relevant national consensus standards from ANSI/ITSDF.
 Allowing the use of future national consensus standards that
employers can show are at least as effective as incorporated standards.
physical
Background

OSHA has an ongoing project to update standards to reflect more

current consensus and national standards by:
 updating or revoking outdated national consensus standards
incorporated by reference, and/or
 updating regulatory text that directly adopted the language of
outdated national consensus and industry standards that have
now become outdated.
Background

The Industrial Truck Association (ITA), with support from

Senator Mitch McConnell, asked OSHA to update the design and
construction requirements in the Powered Industrial Trucks
standards.
Background

The Powered Industrial Trucks Standard, 29 CFR 1910.178, for

general industry requires:
 Trucks acquired and used by an employer meet the design and
construction requirements in part II of ANSI B56.1-1969.
 Labeling or some other identifying mark requirements in
accordance with ANSI B56.1, 1969.
Background

The Powered Industrial Trucks Standard, 29 CFR 1926.602, for

construction requires:
 High lift rider trucks be equipped with overhead guards defined
in paragraph 421 in Part II of ANSI B56.1-1969.
 Trucks in use meet the applicable requirements of design,
construction, stability, inspection, testing, maintenance and
operation as defined in ANSI B56.1, 1969.
ANSI B56.1, 1969

Since OSHA adopted ANSI B56.1-1969:

 ANSI has updated its standard several times, most recently

resulting in ANSI/ITSDF B56.1a-2018.
 ANSI reorganized its B56 consensus standards by dividing
B56.1 into several volumes.
ANSI B56 Standards

The former B56.1 is now represented by:

– B56.1 Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks
– B56.5 Safety standard for Driverless, Automated Guided Industrial
Vehicles and Automated Functions of Manned Industrial Vehicles
– B56.6 Safety Standards for Rough Terrain Forklift Trucks
Proposed Revisions to OSHA’s
Powered Industrial Truck Standards

The scope of the PITs standards would not change:

 The types of equipment were defined in the initial OSHA
standard based on the equipment covered by ANSI B56.1,1969.
 This is consistent with OSHA’s determination in a 1998
rulemaking.
Proposed Revisions to OSHA’s
Powered Industrial Truck Standards

 OSHA will be proposing updates to incorporations by reference general

industry and construction powered industrial trucks design and
construction requirements
 These references would include equipment covered by:
-B56.1 Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks
-B56.5 Safety Standard for Driverless, Automatic Guided Industrial
Vehicles and Automated Functions of Manned Industrial Vehicles
-B56.6 Safety Standard for Rough Terrain Forklift Trucks
Proposed Revisions to OSHA’s
Powered Industrial Truck Standards

 This proposal will only update references to

design and construction requirements.
 Stability, inspection, testing, maintenance, and
operation provisions in the construction standard,
at 29 CFR 1926.602(c) would still reference ANSI
B56.1,1969.
Proposed Revisions to OSHA’s
Powered Industrial Truck Standards

 This proposal will address design and construction compliance

for two categories:
- Equipment manufactured before the date of publication of
the final rule.
- Equipment manufactured after the date of publication of
the final rule.
Proposed Revisions to OSHA’s
Powered Industrial Truck Standards

 For equipment manufactured before the date of rule publication.

 Employers may continue to comply with ANSI B56.1-1969, or may
choose to comply with the applicable ANSI B56 version published
between 1969 and 2019.
 OSHA believes that design and construction requirements of B56
standards published from 1969-2019 provide employees equal or better
protection as the 1969 version.
Proposed Revisions to OSHA’s
Powered Industrial Truck Standards

For equipment manufactured after the date of publication of the rule, the
proposal would:
 Require that industrial trucks comply with the design and construction requirements
in the current editions of the ANSI B56 standards:
– B56.1a – 2018
– B56.5 – 2019
– B56.6 - 2016
 Employers would only need to ensure that equipment complies with the most
applicable ANSI consensus standard listed above.
Proposed Revisions to OSHA’s
Powered Industrial Truck Standards

 Alternative for powered industrial trucks manufactured in accordance

with future versions of ANSI/ITSDF B56 standards or non ANSI
standards.
 The proposal would allow employers to rely on updated ANSI B56
standards if the employer can demonstrate that the powered industrial
truck was designed and constructed in accordance with a different
consensus standard that provides employee protection equal or greater
than the ANSI standards incorporated by reference.
Proposed Revisions to OSHA’s
Powered Industrial Truck Standards

 Allowing employers the option to use updated equally protective standards:

– Gives employers additional flexibility.
– Compensates difference in timelines for updates in consensus standards
vs OSHA standards.
– Continues to provide equal protection to employees.
Recommendation

 OSHA now seeks a recommendation from ACCSH on

publishing the planned Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to
update OSHA’s powered industrial truck standard for
construction.