Shield Certificates vs. 360training: Online Forklift and HazCom Training Compared
Price, time, Spanish, the practical evaluation and buying for a crew, side by side, using each company’s published figures. Where 360training is the better choice, and where Shield is.
360training has sold OSHA safety courses online since 1997 and is the larger, better-known company. Shield Certificates is newer, costs less, and is built around the employer who has to get a crew certified. This page compares the two on the things that decide a purchase: price, time, language, the practical evaluation, and buying for a team. Prices are from each company’s website on October 22, 2026.
At a Glance
| Shield Certificates | 360training | |
|---|---|---|
| Forklift operator course | $59 | $79.99 |
| HazCom / GHS course | $24 until Nov 20, 2026, then $29 | $39.99 |
| Time to finish forklift | 50–70 minutes | About 2.5 hours |
| Time to finish HazCom | 45–60 minutes | 90–120 minutes |
| Spanish | Same course, switch any time | Separate Spanish version, bought separately |
| Certificate | Instant PDF plus a phone wallet card with a QR code anyone can verify | Downloadable certificate |
| Practical evaluation (forklift) | Printable checklist included; your supervisor signs it and it is recorded on the certificate | Not described on the course page |
| Buying for a crew | Buy seats, assign by email, track completion in a free employer dashboard; 10% off at 5 seats to 35% at 50, and the discount level is permanent | Business accounts; “discounts may be available for bulk purchases” |
| Refund | 30 days, plus a full refund if an employer will not accept the certificate | See their refund policy |
| Track record | Launched 2026 | 25+ years, 1M+ cards issued |
Where 360training Is the Better Choice
If you want the name an inspector or HR department is most likely to have heard of, 360training has 25 years of it. If you need OSHA 10- or 30-hour Outreach cards, 360training is an OSHA-authorized Outreach provider and Shield does not offer those cards at all. If your company already has 360training accounts, the switching cost is real.
Where Shield Certificates Is the Better Choice
Price: $59 versus $79.99 for forklift, and $29 versus $39.99 for HazCom once the current sale ends. Time: Shield’s forklift course is written to be finished on a phone in about an hour; 360training lists 2.5 hours. Spanish: one Shield purchase covers both languages, and a worker can switch mid-course. Crew orders: Shield’s employer dashboard, seat assignment and permanent volume discount are built for a supervisor certifying ten people, not a worker buying one course.
The Practical Evaluation, Which Neither Price Includes
OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178(l) requires three things before a forklift operator is certified: formal instruction, practical training, and an evaluation of the operator on the equipment they will use. Any online course, from any provider, covers only the first. Shield includes a printable evaluation checklist written to the standard (a general template to adapt to your site; OSHA does not prescribe a form), and the supervisor’s signature is recorded on the certificate. 360training’s course page does not describe how the evaluation is handled. Ask before you buy from anyone.
Forklift practical evaluation checklist (printable)
What Both Get Right
Both cite the OSHA standards their courses are written to. Both deliver a certificate the moment the final exam is passed. Both describe their courses as OSHA-aligned rather than OSHA-approved, which is the honest wording: OSHA does not approve or certify training providers for forklift or HazCom.
Verdict
A single worker who wants the best-known name: 360training. A worker or employer who wants the lower price, the shorter course, Spanish included and the evaluation paperwork handled: Shield Certificates. For a crew of ten, the difference is about $210 on forklift and $110 on HazCom before volume discounts, and Shield’s dashboard does the tracking that otherwise lands in a spreadsheet.
Preview chapter 1 of the forklift course free
Frequently asked questions
Is 360training cheaper than Shield Certificates?
No. On October 22, 2026, 360training listed forklift at $79.99 and HazCom at $39.99; Shield lists forklift at $59 and HazCom at $24 ($29 after November 20, 2026).
Does either course make an operator OSHA certified by itself?
No. Any online course covers only the formal instruction in 29 CFR 1910.178(l); the employer must still run the practical evaluation and keep the certification record.
Which one includes Spanish?
Shield includes English and Spanish in one purchase with a switch at any time; 360training sells a separate Spanish version.
Sources: 360training sit-down forklift course; 360training HazCom course; OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178(l), Operator training; Shield Certificates prices and volume tiers, shieldcerts.com, October 22, 2026
Forklift Operator Safety Certification, $59, English and Spanish, evaluation checklist included.