Forklift Refresher Training in Singapore: The New MOM Rule From 1 January 2027
If you run forklifts in Singapore, this one lands on you, not on your drivers.
The Short Answer
From 1 January 2027, every forklift operator must have completed refresher training within the previous 3 years, and the duty to check that sits with the employer. Sending your operators for a refresher stops being good practice and becomes a compliance requirement. "He has a forklift licence" will no longer be enough. The licence now has a clock on it.
Where the Rule Comes From
MOM announced the change in a press release on 6 November 2024 and issued WSH circular MOM/OSHD/2025-01 on 3 January 2025. It sits under the training requirement in Section 31(4) of the Workplace Safety and Health Act.
All forklift operators have until 1 January 2027 to comply with two things:
- Attend Forklift Operator Refresher Training at least once every 3 years after completing the initial WSQ Operate Forklift Course.
- Attend it again at least once every 3 years after each refresher.
The 3-year refresher is not new in itself. It already sat in the WSH Council Guidelines on Safe Operation of Forklift Trucks and in Singapore Standard SS 573:2012. What changed is that MOM is mandating it rather than recommending it.
Why MOM Is Doing This
MOM's own figures make the case, and they are worth reading twice.
| MOM finding, 2022 to 2023 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Leading cause of fatal workplace injuries | Vehicular incidents |
| Share of those vehicular fatalities involving forklifts | 1 in 4 |
| Forklift contraventions involving operators with no refresher in 3 years | Close to 8 in 10 |
Read that last row again. The problem MOM found was not untrained operators. It was operators whose training had gone stale.
Who Is Liable
This is the part most companies miss. MOM's circular is specific: occupiers, employers and principals are responsible for ensuring operators complete the refresher before authorising them to operate a forklift.
- If you employ a forklift driver, you need the refresher date, not just the WSQ certificate.
- If a contractor's operator drives on your site, you are still exposed as the occupier.
- The check has to happen before you let them on the truck, not after an incident.
What the Enhanced Course Covers
The enhanced course replaces the shorter refresher training providers used to run. It is 12 hours, in three equal parts.
| Part | Hours | How it is delivered |
|---|---|---|
| E-learning with assessment | 4 | Asynchronous, online |
| Case study group discussion | 4 | In person |
| Hands-on practical with assessment | 4 | In person |
The syllabus covers WSH legislation and SS 573:2012 and what non-compliance leads to, interpreting and applying the load chart, forklift stability during travelling, loading and unloading, pre-operational and post-operational checks, common safety lapses drawn from real past accident cases, and the essential do's and don'ts.
Entry requirement: a valid WSQ Operate Forklift certification.
How to Work Out Each Operator's Deadline
- List every operator who drives a forklift on your site, including part-timers and contractors' men.
- Find the date of their last forklift course or refresher.
- Add 3 years. That is their deadline, or 1 January 2027, whichever falls first.
- Book the overdue ones now and spread the rest across the rest of 2026.
An operator who last refreshed in March 2024 is due by March 2027. An operator whose last training was 2019 is already well past 3 years and must be done before 1 January 2027.
Where to Get the Training
Refresher training has to be done with an approved training provider. MOM's January 2025 circular lists 17, including AAT Training Hub, Absolute Kinetics Consultancy, Eurosafe Associates, Eversafe Academy, NTUC LearningHub, PSA Corporation, UBTS Academy, Wong Fong Academy and others. MOM notes the list is updated over time, so check the current circular or the MySkillsFuture course search before you book.
Fees vary by provider and by funding. Singapore Citizens and PRs are often subsidised and SkillsFuture Credit may apply. Confirm the fee, duration and next available date directly with the training centre.
The Real Problem: Nobody Knows When the Dates Fall Due
Most warehouses we work with keep operator certificates in a folder, or in a spreadsheet somebody updates when they remember. That works right up until MOM asks for it, or until a date quietly passes and the man keeps driving.
The same gap runs through the rest of the yard. Daily checklists on paper. PM dates in someone's head. The honest fix is not a better folder, it is having the expiry dates somewhere that tells you before they lapse, not after.
M&C supplies, rents and services forklift fleets across Singapore. If you want a hand working out which of your operators fall due when, send us your list and we will help you map it against the 1 January 2027 deadline.
Common Questions
Is forklift refresher training compulsory in Singapore?
From 1 January 2027, yes. MOM has mandated refresher training at least once every 3 years as a training requirement under Section 31(4) of the WSH Act.
How often must operators go for refresher training?
Once every 3 years after the initial WSQ Operate Forklift Course, then once every 3 years after each refresher. Everyone has until 1 January 2027 to get compliant.
How long is the enhanced refresher course?
12 hours: 4 hours online e-learning with assessment, 4 hours case study discussion, 4 hours hands-on practical with assessment.
Who is responsible if an operator's refresher has expired?
The occupier, employer or principal. You must confirm the refresher is done before you authorise anyone to operate a forklift, including a contractor's operator on your site.
Does a forklift licence expire in Singapore?
The WSQ certification does not disappear, but from 1 January 2027 an operator should not be authorised to drive without a refresher inside the previous 3 years. Treat it as a 3-year clock.
What about operators of forklifts above 5 tonnes?
Heavy forklift operation is covered by a separate Operate Heavy Forklift Course, offered by some of the same providers. Note that MOM's own circular states this heavy forklift course is not WSQ certified and not MOM approved, so check directly with MOM or your provider on what applies to your heavier trucks rather than assuming.
The Bottom Line
You have until 1 January 2027, and the work is not the training itself. It is finding out what date each of your operators last sat a course. Most companies do not know that number today, and that is the bit that takes time.
Start the list this month. The booking can wait a few weeks. The list cannot.
Related reading
- Forklift safety rules in Singapore: operator duties under the WSH Act.
- Forklift servicing Singapore: keeping the truck side compliant too.
- What you get after every service: the record you keep for audits.
Not sure which of your operators fall due when?
Send us your operator list and we will help you map it against the deadline.
WhatsApp +65 9349 1314 Get a Free Quote