Fork lift safety

ray a

We have an old fork lift truck we use once or twice a month in a light industrial manufacturing facility. The lift truck is used only for unloading heavier loads from incoming trucks and setting the pallets on the dock to be broken down and delivered to receiving inspection.

Actually, I thought it just sat out back unused until today I discovered an employee has been operating it who is known to be an epileptic. A quick search on the OSHA website tells me we are headed for trouble. It lists criteria such as qualifications for operators (epilepsy is a disqualifier), training and certification requirements.

Anyone else have experience with this that can give me some pointers?

Don D

Ray: When I was first hired on my last job, I soon discovered that a shipping employee had been granted 'a reasonable accomodation' and was being allowed to do a 'make-work' job in that department. His primary duty had been driving a forklift. Our company physician recommended, almost demanded, that we remove that particular task for the same reasons you now face. After the accomodation, he was found twice in hidden areas of the plant either during a seizure or apparently soon after one, disoriented. I sensed too much potential liability and sort of started the assessment period all over again. Long story short, after an exhaustive review of the job essentials as compared with his abilities and disability, and discussion with his and our physician and review of documents, etc., the accomodation was removed and he was dismissed.