• Forklift attachment regulations protect workers who use forklifts on the job.forklift truck image by Steve Lovegrove from Fotolia.com
  
  Forklifts are large machines that untrained workers can hurt themselves or others on. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) creates workplace regulations to prevent injuries, illnesses and deaths on the job. These regulations include safety standards for forklift attachments.
  
  

Modification Regulations

• According to OSHA forklift regulations, employers and workers must not modify forklifts or attach anything to them that may change their lifting capacity or ability to operate safely without first obtaining written approval from the forklift manufacturer. OSHA also holds employers responsible for making sure any forklift capacity labels, instructions, tags and decals have updates to go with the forklift modifications or attachments.
  
  

Front-End Attachments

• Whenever workplace forklifts get new front-end attachments, the employer or employees must request that the forklift gets updated markings that identify the attachments and provide the weight of the forklift with its front-end attachment and a maximum capacity load.
  
  

Hazardous Materials Transportation Training

• Forklift workers who use forklift attachments to transport hazardous materials must have proper training, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Employers must train drivers how to properly drive the forklift. Any other workers using the forklift must know safety procedures. Employers must train, test and certify each worker, and employers must keep records of employee training. To keep workers up to date on safety procedures, employers must retrain them at least once every three years.