What licence do I need to drive a telehandler in NZ?
Telehandlers although the main attachment is forks they have such a variety of uses and other attachments that they really need their own specific training.
It appears in NZ that the driver of a telehandler requires a W endorsement (Refer letter from NZ Transport Agency 2011) but this does not cover the extending boom and stabilizer legs of the telehandler and loading with forks. The stability triangle and tip over points are different from a loader or a forklift and we need to understand that there are the different categories of telehandlers with different licence requirements depending on the attachment fitted.
Our recommendation for telehandlers with forks, buckets, hooks, jibs or man-cages are that the operator has passed the following training:
1) Telehandler with Fixed Boom
-Current Drivers licence (With the correct licence class for the weight of the telehandler)
-W Endorsement (Special-type vehicle that runs on wheels)
-NZQA Unit Standard 23637 –Operate a Telehandler (General use of a telehandler)
-NZQA Unit Standard 31245 –Plan for and lift. move, and place loads using mobile plant in an infrastructure works environment
-NZQA Unit Standard 30072 -Demonstrate and apply knowledge of slinging regular loads safely (Lifting with hooks or jib)
2) Telehandler with Rotating Boom (360 degree slew)
-A current Drivers licence (With the correct licence class for the weight of the telehandler)
-W Endorsement (Special-type vehicle that runs on wheels)
-NZQA Unit Standard 23637 –Operate a Telehandler (General use of a telehandler)
-NZQA Unit Standard 31245 –Plan for and lift. move, and place loads using mobile plant in an infrastructure works environment
-NZQA Unit Standard 30072 – -Demonstrate and apply knowledge of slinging regular loads safely (Lifting with hooks or jib)
-NZQA Unit Standard 3789 Sling varied regular loads and safely direct a crane during crane operations– (Using as a crane with winch)
–Crane Operator Training (Because of the rotating boom of the telehandler, it is classed as a crane when fitted with a hook, jib or winch, and the operator is recommended to have the correct training or licence ACOP for cranes)
Rotating Telehandler
3) Telehandler with Man-Cage Fixed or Rotating Boom
-Hold a Current Drivers licence (With the correct licence class for the weight of the telehandler)
-W Endorsement (Special-type vehicle that runs on wheels)
-NZQA Unit Standard 23637 -Operate a Telehandler (General use of a telehandler)
-NZQA Unit Standard 31245 –Plan for and lift. move, and place loads using mobile plant in an infrastructure works environment
-NZQA Unit Standard 20875 -Demonstrate Knowledge of slinging, lifting, moving and placing loads with mobile plant (Lifting with hooks or jib)
–EWP Training (When used as a Mobile Elevated Work Platform (MEWP) the machine must comply with AS/NZS 1418 Part 10 2011/ AS2550.10 and the operator will require EWP training)
Telehandler with Man-Cage