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Home›Courses›Safety Training›Skid Steer Safety

Skid Steer Safety

20 minutesENSafety Training29 CFR 1910.178, OSHA General Duty Clause
Quick Answer

Skid Steer Safety is a 20-minute online course that trains employees on the safe operation, inspection, and maintenance awareness for skid steer loaders as addressed under OSHA's Powered Industrial Truck standard (29 CFR 1910.178) and manufacturer requirements. It is designed for skid steer operators in construction, landscaping, agriculture, and municipal operations and includes a downloadable certificate of completion.

Course Overview

Skid steer loaders are among the most versatile pieces of equipment on construction, landscaping, and agricultural job sites, but their compact size and unique steering mechanism create hazards that differ significantly from other heavy equipment. OSHA data links skid steer incidents primarily to rollovers, runovers, and workers being struck by the machine or its attachments. Between 2015 and 2020, research identified a consistent pattern of serious injuries and fatalities involving skid steers across multiple industries. Under 29 CFR 1910.178, powered industrial truck violations ranked 8th on OSHA's FY 2025 Top 10 with 1,826 citations, and employers must ensure all operators are trained and evaluated before operating equipment independently.

This course trains your employees on skid steer hazards and safe operating procedures. Your team will learn proper entering and exiting techniques, pre-operation inspection requirements, safe driving practices including turning and braking on various surfaces, attachment use limitations, and pedestrian awareness protocols. The training emphasizes the unique stability characteristics of skid steers and the operator behaviors that prevent the most common incident types.

What You'll Learn

  • Skid steer hazard identification including rollover, runover, and struck-by risks
  • Safe entering and exiting procedures to prevent entanglement
  • Pre-operation inspection of bucket, hydraulics, tires, and safety systems
  • Safe driving techniques including turning, braking, and operating on slopes
  • Attachment use limitations and weight capacity awareness
  • Pedestrian awareness and communication on active job sites
  • Rollover protection systems (ROPS) and seatbelt requirements

Who Needs This Training

  • Skid steer operators on construction, landscaping, and excavation sites
  • Agricultural workers using skid steers for material handling and farm operations
  • Municipal employees operating skid steers for public works and maintenance
  • Equipment rental customers who need operator training documentation
  • Supervisors responsible for evaluating skid steer operator competency
  • New hires assigned to operate skid steer loaders at any worksite

Regulatory Background

Skid steer loaders are generally classified under OSHA's Powered Industrial Truck standard (29 CFR 1910.178) when used for material handling operations, and under construction-specific standards when used on construction sites. The standard requires formal instruction, practical training, and a performance evaluation for all operators. OSHA also enforces general industry requirements for machine guarding, fall protection, and pedestrian safety that apply to skid steer operations. Powered industrial truck violations ranked 8th on OSHA's FY 2025 Top 10 Most-Cited list with 1,826 violations. OSHA penalty amounts for serious violations reach up to $16,550, with willful violations at $165,514. Manufacturers also publish specific training requirements in their operator manuals, and OSHA expects employers to follow manufacturer guidelines as part of the overall training and safe operation program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. When skid steers are used for material handling, they fall under OSHA's Powered Industrial Truck standard at 29 CFR 1910.178(l), which requires formal instruction, practical training, and a performance evaluation for all operators. Even when skid steers are used outside the strict scope of 1910.178, OSHA's General Duty Clause requires employers to train employees on equipment-specific hazards. Manufacturer operator manuals also specify training requirements that OSHA expects employers to follow.
Rollovers are the leading cause of skid steer fatalities, often occurring on slopes, uneven terrain, or when operating with an elevated or overloaded bucket. Runover incidents - where a bystander is struck by the machine - are also a major concern due to the skid steer's limited operator visibility. Entanglement during entering and exiting accounts for additional serious injuries. Using the ROPS cab, wearing the seatbelt, and following safe entry and exit procedures prevent the majority of fatal incidents.
Manufacturers equip skid steers with Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS) and seatbelts as standard safety features. OSHA requires that ROPS and seatbelts be maintained and used as designed. Disabling or bypassing these safety systems is a serious violation. In a rollover, an unbelted operator can be ejected from the cab and crushed by the machine - the ROPS is only effective when the operator is restrained inside the protected zone.
No. OSHA requires training specific to the type of powered industrial truck the operator will use. Skid steers have different controls, stability characteristics, visibility limitations, and hazards compared to forklifts. An operator certified on a sit-down counterbalance forklift must receive separate training on skid steer operation before being permitted to use one. The training must address the specific equipment and workplace conditions.
Under 29 CFR 1910.178(l)(4), operator performance must be evaluated at least every three years. Refresher training is required sooner if unsafe operation is observed, after an accident or near-miss, when the operator is assigned a different type of equipment, or when workplace conditions change. Manufacturers may also specify retraining intervals in their operator manuals that exceed OSHA's minimum requirements.

Related Courses

Employers with mixed equipment fleets often pair skid steer training with Forklift Safety: Certify and Comply to cover all powered industrial truck types under a unified compliance program. For construction operations, adding Excavation, Trenching, and Shoring Safety addresses the earthwork hazards that frequently involve skid steer operations.

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$24.95
per person
Volume Pricing
Team Size Price per Person
1 - 9$24.95
10 - 24$19.95
25 - 49$17.95
50 - 99$17.50
Subtotal $24.95

Certificate of completion included. Downloadable upon passing the final assessment.

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$24.95
per person