What Is a Powered Industrial Truck?

It's OSHA's name for a forklift and every machine like it, from a walk-behind electric pallet jack to a telehandler. Here is the definition, what counts, what doesn't, and what it means for training.

The short answer

A powered industrial truck (PIT) is any forklift or similar machine that carries, pushes, pulls, lifts, stacks or tiers material and runs on an electric motor or an engine. That includes sit-down and stand-up forklifts, reach trucks, order pickers, electric pallet jacks, tow tractors and telehandlers. Manual pallet jacks, golf carts, farm vehicles and earth-moving machines with forks are not. Anyone who drives a powered industrial truck must be trained, evaluated and certified by their employer under 29 CFR 1910.178(l).

What is a powered industrial truck?

It is the term OSHA's forklift rule, 29 CFR 1910.178, uses for the machines it covers. The rule opens by listing them:

"fork trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines."

The same paragraph, (a)(1), leaves out three groups: trucks run on compressed air or nonflammable compressed gas, farm vehicles, and "vehicles intended primarily for earth moving or over-the-road hauling."

The rule builds on the ANSI B56.1-1969 safety standard, which OSHA quotes as defining a powered industrial truck as a "mobile, power-driven vehicle used to carry, push, pull, lift, stack, or tier material." That is the test to keep in mind: does it have a motor or engine, and was it built to move material?

OSHA's own summary adds that powered industrial trucks "can either be ridden by the operator or controlled by a walking operator." So a walk-behind electric pallet jack counts just as much as a diesel forklift in a lumberyard. Read the full rule on osha.gov.

What does "PIT certified" mean in a job post?

It means forklift certified. "PIT certified," "PIT trained" and "forklift certified" all point to the same OSHA requirement: the employer has trained you, evaluated you on the truck, and certified it in a record.

Under 1910.178(l)(6), that record must show the operator's name, the date of training, the date of the evaluation, and who did the training or evaluation. Training itself has three parts under (l)(2)(ii): formal instruction, practical training, and an evaluation of the operator's performance in the workplace.

If a job post asks for PIT certification, a certificate from past training shows you know the material. The new employer still has to evaluate you on its own trucks before you drive. OSHA does not issue a PIT card or license; see do you need a license to drive a forklift for why.

What counts as a powered industrial truck?

Every powered forklift, reach truck, order picker, electric pallet jack, tugger and telehandler counts. Hand-pumped jacks, golf carts, farm vehicles, earth-moving machines with forks and lifts built to raise people do not. Pick a machine below for the answer and the rule behind it, or scan the full table.

Does OSHA cover this machine?

Pick the machine. We'll tell you if OSHA's forklift rule applies, why, and what to do next.

Covered by OSHA's forklift rule?

Pick a machine to see the answer.

You'll get a yes or no, the rule behind it, and the next step.

Every machine at a glance

Sit-down forklift

Yes

Class: I, IV, V

A forklift is a "fork truck", the first machine the rule names in 29 CFR 1910.178(a)(1).

Stand-up forklift or reach truck

Yes

Class: I, II

Both are electric fork trucks. OSHA's eTool lists the stand-up counterbalanced rider in Class I and the reach type outrigger truck in Class II.

Order picker

Yes

Class: II

OSHA's eTool lists the order picker as a Class II powered industrial truck.

Electric pallet jack

Yes

Class: III

The rule names "motorized hand trucks" in 1910.178(a)(1), and OSHA's eTool lists walkie and walkie/rider pallet trucks in Class III.

Walkie stacker

Yes

Class: III

OSHA's eTool lists high lift straddle, reach type and counterbalanced stackers among the Class III hand and hand/rider trucks.

Manual pallet jack

No

Class: None

The rule covers trucks "powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines" (1910.178(a)(1)). A hand-pumped jack has neither.

Tow tractor or tugger

Yes

Class: VI, III

The rule names "tractors" in 1910.178(a)(1). A machine does not need forks to count.

Yard truck (terminal tractor)

Depends

Class: None

OSHA's June 27, 2011 letter says a yard tractor not built to DOT over-the-road specifications is a powered industrial truck. One built for road use is not, even when it only works the yard.

Utility cart built to haul material

Yes

Class: None

OSHA's September 19, 2023 letter found a personnel-and-equipment carrier, a motorized shopping cart collector and a motorized rack mover all covered, because each is powered and built to carry, push or pull material.

Golf cart

No

Class: None

OSHA's June 27, 2011 letter says golf cars are recreational vehicles by design and exempt from 1910.178, even when used to haul things at work. Design decides, not use.

Telehandler

Yes

Class: VII

OSHA's eTool lists the variable reach, telescoping boom forklift as a Class VII truck. On construction sites, 29 CFR 1926.602(d) applies training rules identical to 1910.178(l).

Rough terrain forklift

Yes

Class: VII

OSHA's eTool lists the vertical mast rough terrain forklift as a Class VII truck.

Truck-mounted forklift

Yes

Class: VII

It is a self-propelled fork truck once it is off the carrier.

Skid steer or loader with forks

No

Class: None

The rule excludes "vehicles intended primarily for earth moving" (1910.178(a)(1)). OSHA says earth-moving equipment modified to accept forks is not a powered industrial truck.

Scissor lift

No

Class: None

OSHA covers many scissor lifts under its scaffold rules. On construction sites that means 1926.451, 1926.452 and the training rule in 1926.454.

Boom lift ("cherry picker")

No

Class: None

Boom platforms are aerial lifts under 29 CFR 1926.453 on construction sites and 1910.67 for vehicle-mounted units, not the forklift rule.

Farm tractor or farm vehicle

No

Class: None

1910.178(a)(1) says the section does not apply "to farm vehicles".

Sources: 29 CFR 1910.178(a)(1); OSHA's Powered Industrial Trucks eTool class list; OSHA letters of interpretation dated June 27, 2011 and September 19, 2023; OSHA's scissor lift hazard alert; 29 CFR 1926.453, 1910.67, 1926.602 and 1926.1400. When a machine is borderline, the maker or dealer is the next place to ask.

Powered industrial truck types: the 7 classes

OSHA's eTool groups commonly used powered industrial trucks into seven classes. OSHA notes the list "does not include all powered industrial trucks covered by the OSHA standard," which is why yard trucks and utility carts can be covered without a class number.

  • Class I: Electric Motor Rider Trucks
  • Class II: Electric Motor Narrow Aisle Trucks
  • Class III: Electric Motor Hand Trucks or Hand/Rider Trucks
  • Class IV: Internal Combustion Engine Trucks, Solid/Cushion Tires
  • Class V: Internal Combustion Engine Trucks, Pneumatic Tires
  • Class VI: Electric and Internal Combustion Engine Tractors
  • Class VII: Rough Terrain Forklift Trucks

Not sure which one you drive? The forklift class finder asks four questions and tells you, and the same page matches everyday names like "walkie" and "cherry picker" to their class.

Is a powered industrial truck the same as a forklift?

A forklift is the most common kind, but not the only one. OSHA's overview says powered industrial trucks are "commonly called forklifts or lift trucks," and the rule itself also names tractors and motorized hand trucks.

Some powered industrial trucks have no forks at all. A tow tractor pulls a train of carts, and OSHA's 2023 letter found a motorized rack mover and a shopping cart collector covered because they are powered and built to push or pull material. If it moves material under power, assume the rule applies until you check.

Does every powered industrial truck operator need certification?

Yes. Under 1910.178(l)(1)(ii), no one may operate a powered industrial truck, except while training, until they have completed the training the rule requires. That applies to every type, including the walk-behind electric pallet jack in the back of a store.

Do you need a separate certification for an electric pallet jack? You need training on it and an evaluation on it. Truck-related training covers "the types of truck the operator will be authorized to operate" ((l)(3)(i)(A)), and moving to a different type of truck triggers refresher training and an evaluation ((l)(4)(ii)(D)). Topics you already learned do not have to be repeated if they fit the new truck and you are evaluated as competent on it ((l)(5)). Manual pallet jacks are not covered. More in our pallet jack certification guide.

Our $59 online course covers the formal instruction part of that training for all seven classes, in English and Spanish, in under an hour. It does not replace the practical training and hands-on evaluation, which the employer does on the actual truck under (l)(2)(ii).

Get Certified

Is PIT certification different from forklift certification?

No. It is the same rule, the same three-part training, and the same certification record. The only difference is the word.

The same schedule applies too: an evaluation of each operator's performance at least once every three years under (l)(4)(iii), plus refresher training after an accident or near miss, unsafe operation, a failed evaluation, a new type of truck, or a change in the workplace. Our guide to OSHA forklift certification requirements walks through each part.

Do the same rules apply on construction sites?

Yes, for training. The construction rule, 29 CFR 1926.602(d), says its operator training requirements "are identical to those set forth at §1910.178(l)." A telehandler or rough terrain forklift on a job site needs the same training, evaluation and certification as a forklift in a warehouse.

One exception matters for telehandlers. OSHA's construction crane rule excludes forklifts "except when configured to hoist and lower (by means of a winch or hook) and horizontally move a suspended load" (1926.1400(c)(8)). Hang a load from a hook or winch and the crane rules can apply on top. Our telehandler certification guide covers it.

What rules apply to powered industrial trucks besides training?

Most of 1910.178 is about the truck and how it is used: fueling and battery charging, traveling, loading, parking and maintenance. One that applies every day is (q)(7): trucks must be examined before being placed in service, at least daily, or after each shift where they run around the clock.

Our OSHA forklift regulations guide explains each rule in plain English, and the free forklift inspection checklist builds the daily sheet for your truck type.

Frequently asked questions

What does PIT stand for?
PIT stands for powered industrial truck, the term OSHA uses in 29 CFR 1910.178 for forklifts and similar machines. "PIT certified" and "forklift certified" mean the same thing: trained, evaluated and certified by the employer under paragraph (l) of that rule.
Is a golf cart a powered industrial truck?
No. In a June 27, 2011 letter, OSHA said golf cars are recreational vehicles by design and are exempt from 1910.178, even when maintenance crews use them to haul things. A utility vehicle built to carry material is a different case: OSHA's September 19, 2023 letter found a personnel-and-equipment carrier covered.
Do I need a separate certification for a telehandler if I already have a forklift certificate?
You need training and an evaluation on the telehandler itself. It is a Class VII truck, and OSHA requires refresher training and an evaluation when an operator is assigned to a different type of truck (1910.178(l)(4)(ii)(D)). Topics you already covered do not have to be repeated if the training fits the new truck and you are evaluated as competent on it (l)(5).
What training should warehouse staff get for forklifts, reach trucks and scissor lifts?
Forklifts, reach trucks, order pickers and electric pallet jacks all fall under the powered industrial truck rule, so one training program can cover them, with a hands-on evaluation on each type a person will drive. Scissor lifts are not powered industrial trucks. OSHA covers many of them under its scaffold rules, and they need their own training.
Is a skid steer with forks a forklift under OSHA rules?
No. The rule excludes vehicles intended primarily for earth moving, and OSHA says earth-moving equipment modified to accept forks is not a powered industrial truck. Other rules can still apply, such as 1926.602 on construction sites or the general duty clause, and the maker's training still matters.
Does a powered industrial truck need a special license to drive?
OSHA does not issue a license for powered industrial trucks, and its rule does not ask for a driver's license. What it requires is employer certification after training and an evaluation. Our guide on whether you need a license to drive a forklift covers the details.

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