ISM Training Services provide accredited, industry-recognised training for companies who need to deliver high-quality and fully compliant forklift instruction in-house. Under Irish Health & Safety legislation, employers have a legal duty to ensure that all industrial truck operators are trained, supervised, and assessed correctly. This programme equips experienced forklift operators to train, supervise, and assess others in accordance with the HSA Code of Practice: Safe Use of Industrial Trucks (2025), supporting employers in meeting these statutory obligations.
For those who do not currently hold the QQI Special Purpose Award in Training & Development (6S3372), this qualification must be completed with our Training Partner (online, blended, and classroom options available) alongside the Forklift Instruction & Supervision programme. This award is essential because employers must ensure that anyone delivering operator training is competent, qualified, and capable of designing and evaluating training to national standards.
Participants will also learn how to deliver both practical and theory training, assess operator competence, and maintain training records that meet HSA requirements. Emphasis is placed on the employer’s responsibility to keep accurate and up-to-date training documentation, as these may be reviewed during audits, inspections, or incident investigations. Practical skills are developed in ISM’s purpose-built Forklift Training Centres, equipped with Counterbalance, Reach and Power Pallet trucks.
Read our forklift Frequently Asked Questions or learn more about our Forklift Training Courses.
This course is ideal for operators who have already been trained and assessed on the forklifts used in their workplace and now want certification to instruct others safely and effectively. Trainees will learn to deliver forklift operations training in line with Irish Health & Safety legislation—including the Code of Practice: Safe Use of Industrial Trucks—and understand the employer’s duty to provide adequate instruction, information and supervision. All participants will receive hands-on instructor practice in our purpose-built training centres.
Our modern Forklift Training Centres are fully equipped with the latest Counterbalance, Reach and Power Pallet trucks. All ISM Forklift and Warehouse instructors are accredited and approved by RTITB, ensuring the highest industry standards.
Who Should Attend?
This programme is suitable for experienced operators, supervisors, team leaders, and Health & Safety personnel who are responsible for ensuring legal compliance within their organisation. Individuals who need to:
- Deliver in-house familiarisation and job-specific training
- Assess operator competence and monitor performance
- Support onboarding, refresher training, and compliance obligations
- Maintain training records in line with HSA Code of Practice requirements
This course is particularly relevant for employers who must demonstrate that their in-house instructors are fully competent, appropriately qualified, and capable of maintaining safe systems of work.
Training Delivery Options
Training is available on your site or at one of our ISM Training Centres.
When delivered onsite, we tailor the training and assessments to your organisation’s needs, ensuring alignment with employer responsibilities such as:
- Your site layout, aisle widths, racking systems and operational risks
- Your specific truck types and load types
- Your internal Health & Safety procedures and safe systems of work
- Your documentation, record-keeping and audit requirements
This ensures your in-house training programme meets legal obligations while remaining highly practical and relevant to your daily operations.
What Qualifications Will I Receive?
Upon successful completion, participants will receive:
- QQI Level 6 Train the Trainer (if required)
- ISM Forklift Instructor Certificate
Graduates will be able to:
- Plan, prepare and deliver compliant forklift instruction
- Conduct and mark theory and practical assessments
- Certify experienced operators in-house
- Maintain accurate, compliant training records
- Apply HSA safety and operational standards as required by employers
Course Programme
- Safety, Health and Welfare at work Act 2005
- Instructional techniques
- Safety responsibility of the operator
- Workplace hazards
- Assessment of participants operating abilities
- Pre-service checks
- Presentations of practical lessons by participants
- Stacking and de-stacking – free standing and in racking
- Practical test of basic operating skills
- Forklift truck operator testing, theory and practice
Pre-course Requirements
Potential candidates must either be pre-qualified Forklift operators or have successfully completed the requirements of the Novice Training Programme. In both cases, they must have formal training in operating the type of truck on which they are expected to instruct e.g. Counterbalance or Reach. Specifically:
- Candidates must have a current and valid Forklift operators certificate
- Candidates must have completed the Novice Training Programme or received formal operator refresher training within the 12 months prior to attending the Forklift Instructor course
- If a candidate trains as a Counterbalance Forklift Instructor, this will only qualify him/her to deliver training on Counterbalance Trucks. A further one-day conversion course would be required to qualify the instructor to deliver training on additional trucks.
