Why agriculture is on a different cycle than construction/general industry California’s powered industrial truck (PIT) regulation — Title 8 §3668 — reads, near the end: “Exception: Agricultural operations as defined in Section 3437 of the General Industry Safety Orders are exempt from the requirements of Section 3668.” That single sentence is the reason the cycles differ.
General industry / construction (§3668)
- Initial training and evaluation BEFORE solo operation.
- Combination of formal instruction, practical training, and workplace evaluation.
- “An evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator’s performance shall be conducted at
least once every three years.”
- Refresher training (interim) is REQUIRED — not optional — when: the operator is observed
operating unsafely; is involved in an accident or near-miss; receives an unsafe evaluation; is
assigned to a different type of truck; or the workplace changes in a way affecting safe operation.
Agriculture (§3441 and §3664)
- Title 8 §3441(a)(1): “At the time of initial assignment and at least annually thereafter, the
employer shall instruct every employee in the safe operation and servicing of all equipment…”
- Title 8 §3664(b): every employee who operates an agricultural or industrial tractor shall be
instructed at initial assignment and at least annually thereafter.
- So: AG = annual; GI/Construction = 3-year evaluation.
What about MEWPs (scissor lifts, boom lifts)?
MEWP operator training is governed by ANSI/SAIA A92.22 (safe use) and A92.24 (training), supported
by Cal/OSHA aerial-device sections. ANSI does not name a strict refresher cycle, but industry best
practice — and what most insurers and GCs require — is a 3-year operator re-evaluation, sooner if
there’s an incident, equipment change, or supervisor concern. Pair MEWP recerts with PIT recerts
where the operator works both.