Accredited telehandler operator certificate
Telehandler Training
Telehandler training from Logan Plant Training is delivered on your own site, on your fixed-mast or 360° telehandler, from our Aboyne base. It follows the NPORS route, leading to an NPORS card carrying the CSCS logo, and courses run 2–5 days depending on experience.
Construction, farming and civils operators.
Training is delivered on your site across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and North-East Scotland; contact us to discuss dates and a quote.
Learning built around fixed-mast and 360° telehandlers
This course is for construction, farming and civils operators. The practical work centres on fixed-mast and 360° telehandlers, with the assessment matched to the machine, task and operating conditions the candidate will face.
Skills covered
- Boom control, load charts and stability
- Attachment changes and lifting accessories
- Travel with raised loads and uneven ground handling
Practical situations covered
The exercises reflect the tasks and constraints attached to telehandler work.
Exercise 1
Lifting palletised blockwork to first-lift scaffold on a sloping plot
Exercise 2
Swapping bucket → forks → man-cage and re-checking the LOLER record
Exercise 3
Tele-handling round livestock or farm pedestrians without segregation
Errors the course addresses
These course-specific errors are dealt with through instruction, observation and practical assessment.
- Operating outside the load chart because the boom angle was eyeballed
- Forgetting that a man-cage requires a thorough examination every 6 months, not 12
- Pulling away with a raised load on uneven ground — the top cause of tip-overs
Published safety context
30%
of UK construction plant fatalities involve telehandlers or excavators overturning.
Source: HSE construction fatal injuries report.
Telehandler courses in Scotland: farms, yards and sites
Telehandlers are used very differently on a construction site, a farm and a builders' merchant yard. On site the focus is placing loads at height near edges and people. On a farm it is bale handling, bucket work and travelling on uneven ground. In a yard it is repeated loading and unloading with pedestrians close by.
Because training runs on your own premises, the course is shaped round your machine, your attachments and the tasks your operators actually do. Farm operators wondering whether a card is needed at all should read the telehandler licence on a farm guide; those comparing certificate types can see the AITT certificate guide.
Getting a telehandler ticket: what to know before booking
A telehandler ticket is the NPORS card issued once an operator passes the theory and practical test on the telehandler category. People often call it a telehandler licence, but it is a training card rather than a driving licence. If the machine is driven on public roads, the operator also needs the correct driving licence category for road use.
Fixed-boom and rotating 360° telehandlers are separate categories, so tell us which machine your operators use. Attachments matter too: forks, buckets, bale handlers and man-riding platforms all change the load chart, and training covers checking the chart for the attachment actually fitted.
Agricultural telehandler training follows the same principles but focuses on farm work: bale stacking, loading trailers, muck handling and working around livestock and family members in the yard. Candidates aged 16 or over can train for agricultural settings; 18 or over elsewhere.
On lifting, a telehandler used to lift loads is lifting equipment under LOLER 1998, so the lift must be planned by a competent person. Routine lifts can be covered by a generic plan, while complex lifts need a specific one.
Ask about telehandler training
Tell us how many operators need training and what machines you use, or call Chris on 07867 933 018.
Telehandler Training questions
- Do I need a telehandler licence?
- Employers must make sure telehandler operators are trained and competent under PUWER 1998. Most construction sites ask for a recognised card, and NPORS training leads to a card carrying the CSCS logo.
- Do I need a ticket for a telehandler on a farm?
- The law asks for training and competence rather than a named card, but farm employers still have to show operators are trained. Many choose a recognised card, especially if staff also work on contract sites.
- How long is a telehandler course?
- Between 2 and 5 days depending on experience. A novice needs the longest course; experienced operators need less.
- Do you need a lift plan for a telehandler?
- Yes, when it is used for lifting. LOLER 1998 requires every lift to be planned by a competent person. Routine lifts can use a generic plan, and non-routine or complex lifts need a specific written plan.
- Do you deliver CPCS telehandler training?
- No. We deliver NPORS telehandler training leading to an NPORS card carrying the CSCS logo.
- What does telehandler training cover?
- Boom control, load charts and stability; Attachment changes and lifting accessories; Travel with raised loads and uneven ground handling.
- Which equipment is used?
- Fixed-mast and 360° telehandlers. Training and assessment use the relevant equipment available on your site.
- Who is the course for?
- Construction, farming and civils operators. Prerequisites: Aged 18+ (16+ for agricultural settings). Basic site induction useful.
- What certification is issued?
- Accredited telehandler operator certificate. The course covers LOLER 1998 and PUWER 1998.
- How long does training take?
- 2–5 days depending on experience.