The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) has released a third edition of their safety standard for lift trucks. https://www.whsc.on.ca/What-s-new/News-Archive/CSA-releases-new-safety-standard-for-lift-trucks

As changes and additions have been made over the last edition, there is one notable change pertaining to retraining requirements

The new CSA Safety Standard B335-15 is a comprehensive document which specifies the essential elements of a lift truck safety program as well as the requirements of lift truck design and construction, maintenance and inspection, safe operation and operator training. It also outlines recommended qualifications for trainers and maintenance technicians.

If you wish to *discontinue with the mid-term evaluations required in the previous standard an email must be sent to Liftow Industrial Services.

If your Company chooses not to implement the mid-term requirements, conduct programs annually or to follow the 2-year cycle from the original standard are not affected, however companies that chose to stay with the 2-year cycle only to avoid the need for mid-terms should consider moving to a 3-year cycle when scheduling future programs.

Companies that discontinue mid-term evaluations should remove requirement from their corporate policy or SOP’s when applicable.
The CSA B335-15 replaces two previous standards and will be used as a guide in the enforcement of federal, and provincial health and safety legislation and directives concerning lift trucks.

For Companies complying, you should be aware that just as in the prior editions many requirements of the standard are internal responsibilities and cannot be implemented or addressed by lift truck training providers.

  1. new references to CSA OHS Management Standards (Z1000 series), CSA A344.1 Guide on Use of SteelStorage Racks, CSA Z460 Standard on Hazardous Energy Control, and CSA Z462 Standard on WorkplaceElectrical Safety;
  2. expanded requirements for facility design (Clause 4.5.5.1);
  3. enhanced requirements for aisle ways and management of obstructions (Clause 4.5.6);
  4. further direction on the selection of lift trucks for the intended application (Clause 4.6.1);
  5. enhanced requirements for operator compartment guards (Clause 4.8.4.3)
  6. more explicit requirements for pre-operation inspections (Clause 4.9.1 and Annex A);
  7. guidance on conducting risk assessments (based on CSA Z1002);
  8. modified requirements for load handling (Clause 4.9.5);
  9. new requirements for supporting of trailers entered by lift trucks (Clause 4.9.7.3);
  10. expanded requirements for use of a lift truck to elevate personnel (Clause 4.9.9);
  11. more explicit requirements for “leaving the operator’s position” (Clause 4.9.12);
  12. simplified requirements for medical and physical fitness of operators (Clause 4.10);
  13. ergonomic design considerations (Clause 5.3 and Annex C) now reference CSA Z1004;
  14. operator training requirements (Clause 6) now reference CSA Z1001;
  15. numerous modifications have been made to the training requirements to correspond with changes made to the operation, safety, inspection, and maintenance requirements throughout the Standard;
  16. changes have been made to the retraining requirements (Clause 6.21); (operators still require training at intervals not exceeding three years however mid-term evaluations are no longer a requirement);
  17. additions have been made to basic operator qualifications (Clause 6.22);
  18. hazard energy control requirements for maintenance work now reference CSA Z460 (Clause 8.1.6);
  19. enhancements have been made to requirements for pre-operation inspections and service report inspections (Clause 8.2);
  20. new guidance on battery charging (Annex D); and
  21. new example Operator Evaluation Forms (Annex F).