Q&A for How to Drive a Forklift

With almost all forklifts, the hydraulic levers will be identical and positioned the same, with all the hydraulic levers on the right of the operator. The first one is the up/down lever: push this lever forward to lower a load, pull back to raise a load. The second, is the tilt lever: push to tilt forward, pull to tilt back. Third is the side shift lever: push to side shift left, pull to side shift right. The fourth lever (if there is one) usually will be the "reach" lever: push forward to reach out, pull to retract.

This would take an extreme fault with the forklift, possibly a hydraulic leak. This is considered rare in the majority of workplaces where forklifts are well maintained and serviced. If this does happen, immediately report to your supervisor or manager. Typically, he or she will issue an immediate "tag out"/Do Not Use, until an authorized repair person has fixed the fault.

Unlike Hydraulic levers which remain similar with most forklifts, pedals highly differ between forklift makes, models, and types. Most Gas, Petrol, or Diesel Counterbalance forklifts will have at least 3 pedals in a configuration similar to a "manual car."

The Lifting lever (up or down) is usually always the first lever on the left of the 3 or 4 forklift hydraulic control levers located to the right side of the operator.

It all depends on which country you are taking the test in. In general, the exam will test your general and specialized knowledge of forklifts, forklift driving, and forklift safety, as well as your ability to calculate load weights and determine loads that are safe to be lifted depending on weight, height (to be lifted) and load center distance.

Simply put, the inching pedal is similar to an alternate pedal handbrake, mainly used when the forklift driver wants to retrieve or put away a load at height. The inching pedal is pressed, and the forklift can be "revved" while raising the forks to quicken the forks raise speed.

Yes. Forklift tip-overs are a huge safety concern for forklift operators, one of the leading causes of accidental forklift-related deaths. To prevent any tip-overs, avoid turning too quickly or too sharply, and never drive sideways on a ramp or uneven ground. If your forklift does tip over, stay inside with your seat belt fastened and brace for impact; make sure that no body parts are sticking out of the forklift.

There are many different types of forklifts for virtually every area and industry (e.g. all terrain forklifts, container mast forklifts, heavy duty forklifts, reach forklifts, etc). The main benefits of being a forklift operator include higher pay and position in a company and the general skill of being able to drive a forklift - a valuable and transferable skill in any country and across a wide span of industries.

This is always dependent on the forklift type (e.g. reach, counterbalance, articulated, etc). However, the vast majority of standard counterbalance forklifts will have an stick to the left of the steering wheel (resembling the indicator paddle on a car), which will enable forward, backward, or neutral positions. It is extremely important to note however, the forklift may still move when put on neutral, so when parked or raising a load, the handbrake, inching pedal, or brake should be applied.

Lifting loads while moving forward (or backwards) is possible with almost any type of forklift. However, from a safety standpoint, this is generally frowned upon. Usually the only time a forklift driver will be driving forward/ backward while lifting the forks is during the fast-paced loading of trucks; otherwise, forklift drivers are strongly encouraged to lift/lower loads only at a standstill, as lifting loads while in motion severely limits the front view of the forklift driver and may prevent him from seeing pedestrians, obstacles, machinery, etc.

Certainly, as it is the safest and easiest way to both drive and monitor the load, provided that, the load is not obstructing the operators' view/ path of travel, and that the forks are lowered as much as possible and mast vertical or back tilt. If the load is obstructing your vision, you must drive in reverse or use a spotter.

Generally, forklift drivers must comply with all company policies and procedures on forklift operations, in addition to all safety and workplace OH&S laws. You are within your rights to ask for the reasoning behind the policy, but you should comply if you want to keep your job.

Provided it is not a steep incline, and the forklift's handbrake is functioning properly, a forklift may be left loaded on an incline for a short amount of time. However, if the forklift is to be parked (e.g. overnight), it is always recommended to be unloaded, with the forks tilted forward/flat on the ground, preferably on level/flat ground; if that is not possible, it may be parked facing the "uphill side" of the incline.

The forklift tines should be partially or fully tilted back and raised around the height of the front wheel axle. Be wary of any cracks or uneven ground, as even at low speed, a forklift's tines can easily break a huge chunk out of a concrete floor if they are too low or tilted forward.

In the UK, most companies require you to take some kind of test which when passed will give a "license" of some sort. Take note though that you cannot train to use a truck in one company and go to another on that same license, to do this you need to go to an independent instructor.

In the case of any forklift tip-over, it is always recommended to remain in the forklift with the seatbelt fastened (which should always be the case) and brace for the tip over, only exiting when safe to do so. Never attempt to jump out of the forklift, as this is actually a leading cause of forklift-related fatalities - operators who attempt to jump out of forklifts while they are tipping over are likely to be crushed by part of the forklift (the forklift itself is very heavy, usually weighing around twice the weight of its lifting capacity - e.g. a relatively small forklift with a lifting capacity of 2 tons can weigh 4 or more tons!).

Carrying a load, you should always reverse going down a ramp, and drive forward while travelling up a ramp. When the forklift is unloaded, some people suggest the opposite (reversing up a ramp, and driving forward down a ramp); however, in most situations, this usually isn't possible or practical. As long as you are driving slowly with the forks lowered, it should be safe.

Check the wikiHow article, Drive a Reach Forklift .

Provided you are already moderately confident and experienced in driving a motor vehicle (such a car), learning the basics of forklift driving and maneuverability is not particularly difficult and usually takes a few weeks to a few months. However, becoming a good, safe, efficient, and experienced forklift driver takes many months of regular driving experience, especially learning to operate different forklifts, and more complex forklift maneuvers such as dealing with unstable or double stacked loads, stacking more than three pallets high, tilt control, etc.

Yes, provided you passed the driving and written knowledge tests. Depending on your country, the forklift training assessor/organization will usually issue you with a certificate of training, notice of assessment, or other documentation which you will usually need to send to your country's OH&S regulator, who will usually issue you the official licence. In any case, your forklift training provider will always let you know what to do next.

Usually the same as a car, it's located on the left of the driver's cab, just pull the handbrake lever to engage, and push the button down and pull away from you to release. Some forklifts may have different handbrake locations, if in doubt, ask a colleague or supervisor.

Internal combustion forklifts (propane, gas/petrol, diesel) usually overheat in the same way motor vehicles overheat - low coolant levels, insufficient lubricant, hot weather, extended driving, fast driving, etc. Most forklifts are designed to work for 8 hour shifts, however, some older forklifts and electric forklifts may need breaks every few hours from continuous use. The best way to prevent overheating in forklifts is to conduct regular fluid checks and regular forklift servicing and maintenance.

Mention your forklift licence when applying for jobs in your chosen industry, and detail what experience you have (e.g. 2 years counterbalance forklift experience). Usually to gain forklift operating experience after your training, you will apply for laborer, packer, or process worker jobs that allow for occasional basic forklift driving with little or no experience required. Storeperson-type forklift jobs usually require a minimum of 1.5 - 2 years operating experience, although if you are chosen for a full time role they may train you up to the required standard.

Usually only the accelerator pedal is needed for movement of standard counterbalance forklifts. On some reach and order-picking forklifts, however, another pedal--known as a "dead man's switch"--must be constantly depressed before accelerating forward or reverse and at all times while in motion; taking your foot off the dead man's switch while in motion will bring the forklift to a sudden stop. Similarly, if the switch is not pressed before moving, the forklift will simply not move until it has been pressed. (It is not to be used as a brake or handbrake under any circumstances.)

Only on a reach forklift or other specialized types of forklifts with inverted steering. Otherwise, no, most regular counterbalance forklifts (such as the one pictured in the article) will steer true to direction same as a motor vehicle (turn left to go left, turn right to go right).

Provided the person is already moderately confident and experienced in driving a motor vehicle (such a car), learning the basics of forklift driving and maneuverability is not particularly difficult; it usually takes a few weeks to a few months. Becoming a good, safe, efficient, and experienced forklift driver, however, takes many months or even years of forklift driving experience.

The very first steps for any novice forklift operators is to first learn about how forklifts operate, and how to read data plates to understand the forklift's lifting capacity and load center distances, what to do in case of tip overs and how to avoid them. Basic forklift driving includes simple maneuvering in open areas and general load shifting on the floor or in the 2nd racking space. Only with more experience an operator can master tilt control, operate in aisle racking, stack/unstack loads at 3 or higher racking spaces, and handle double-stacked and unstable loads.

That depends on the type of forklift you have.

Lift truck, forklift truck, "the fork" (slang).

No, the primary braking for most forklifts is the brake pedal. The inching pedal is usually a third pedal on gas/diesel forklifts that is used similar to a handbrake while the forklift is stationary in front of racks, trucks, etc., so that the forklift can be revved to quicken the fork's raise speed. The inching pedal is never to be used as a brake when driving as it will result in severe braking with high risk of lost loads and forklift tip overs.