Forklifts (Powered Industrial Trucks)

Forklifts are involved in many deaths and serious injuries every year, from tip-overs, pedestrians being struck, and falls from raised forks.

• General Industry
• Construction
• Warehousing

Types of forklifts

OSHA training must cover the type you actually drive. Common classes:

• Sit-down counterbalanced trucks (electric, propane, gas or diesel)
• Narrow-aisle reach trucks and order pickers
• Pallet jacks and stackers (walk-behind or rider)
• Rough-terrain forklifts for construction yards. See Telehandlers

Training is required

• Operators must be trained (classroom and hands-on) and evaluated on the specific type of truck and workplace before driving.
• Performance must be re-evaluated at least every 3 years, and after an incident, a near miss, unsafe operation or a change in equipment.
• Workers under 18 may not operate forklifts in non-farm jobs (federal child labor law).

Daily inspection

• Forks, mast, chains and carriage not cracked or bent
• Tires, brakes, steering, horn, lights and backup alarm working
• Hydraulic, fuel, oil and battery leaks; LP tank secure
• Seatbelt present and working
• Data plate (capacity plate) readable

The stability triangle

A forklift balances on three points: the two front wheels and the center of the rear axle. Raising a load, turning fast, braking hard, traveling on slopes or carrying an off-center load can move the center of gravity outside the triangle and tip the truck over.

Operating rules

• Wear the seatbelt. If tipping over, don’t jump: hold on, brace your feet, and lean away from the fall.
• Travel with forks 4 to 6 inches off the ground and the load tilted back.
• Drive in reverse if the load blocks your view. Sound the horn at intersections and blind corners.
• On ramps, keep the load uphill. Never turn on a ramp.
• When parking: forks down flat, controls neutral, brake set, engine off.

• Don’t exceed the rated capacity on the data plate.
• Don’t carry passengers or lift people on the forks or a pallet. Use only an approved work platform secured to the forks.
• Don’t walk or stand under raised forks.

Pedestrians

• Separate walkways from forklift aisles with paint, rails or barriers.
• Use blue or red warning lights, mirrors at blind corners, and horns at intersections.
• Pedestrians: make eye contact before crossing, and never walk behind a reversing forklift.

Docks, trucks and trailers

• Trailer wheels chocked or a vehicle restraint engaged before driving in
• Trailer floor checked for holes, rot or weak spots
• Nose of an unhitched trailer supported by jack stands
• Dock plate rated for the load and secured
• Dock edges marked; doors closed when no trailer is present

Forklifts that drive off dock edges or through gaps between a dock and a trailer that pulled away early cause serious injuries. See Warehouse Safety.

Fuel and batteries

• Change propane cylinders outdoors or in a ventilated area, with the engine off and gloves on. Check the cylinder is properly seated and the locating pin is in place.
• Gas and propane forklifts make carbon monoxide. Keep them tuned and limit use in enclosed spaces. See Carbon Monoxide.
• Charge electric forklift batteries only in designated areas. See Battery Safety.

Last updated: October 1, 2026