Educational guidance on how workplace induction and safety instruction generally work — connected to workplace safety, occupations, industries, employment documents and company types. Informational only — not certified training, not an official qualification and not a substitute for mandatory workplace instruction; employers remain responsible for required training, competence and authorisation.
What this instruction covers
This page outlines, in general educational terms, the safety information that surrounds forklift use — the main hazards, the safe way operation is meant to be carried out, the checks and controls involved, and how problems should be reported.
It is awareness material, not training. Forklift operation is a high-risk activity that requires formal training and authorisation, and this page does not deliver, replace or satisfy either.
Why forklift safety matters
- Forklifts are heavy, fast and unstable, and tip over easily if mishandled.
- They share space with pedestrians, racking and other vehicles.
- Loads can fall, slide or crush if poorly secured or carried too high.
- Most forklift incidents are serious because of the forces and masses involved.
Who this is for
- Trained, authorised forklift operators as a general awareness refresher.
- Supervisors who plan, oversee and authorise forklift work.
- Pedestrians and colleagues who work near forklift operations.
- New starters before they are sent for the formal training they need.
The safe system of work
- Operate only the truck type and attachments you have been trained and authorised for.
- Carry loads low and tilted back; keep within the truck’s rated capacity.
- Travel at a safe speed, sound the horn at junctions and watch for pedestrians.
- Never carry passengers, lift people on the forks, or leave a truck unattended with the key in.
Required PPE & controls
- High-visibility clothing and safety footwear as the site requires.
- Seatbelt worn whenever the truck is in motion.
- Pedestrian segregation, marked routes, mirrors and speed limits.
- Keys, traffic management and supervision controlled by the employer.
Pre-use checks
- Tyres, forks, mast, chains and hydraulics for damage or leaks.
- Brakes, steering, horn, lights and warning devices.
- Seatbelt, controls and the data plate showing rated capacity.
- Report any defect and do not use a truck that fails its check.
What you are and are not authorised to do
- You may operate only the trucks and attachments your authorisation names.
- You must not exceed the rated capacity or modify the truck or its load.
- You must not let untrained or unauthorised people operate the truck.
- Authorisation comes from the employer in writing — not from reading this page.
What to do if something is wrong
- Stop, isolate the truck and report any fault, damage or leak immediately.
- Report near misses, dropped loads and collisions, however minor.
- Do not attempt repairs you are not trained and authorised to make.
- Follow the site’s reporting route so the hazard can be dealt with.
Training & competence
Forklift operation legally requires formal training, and in many places a recognised certificate or test of basic operating skills, followed by job- and site-specific instruction. This is delivered by qualified instructors — not by awareness material.
Instruction such as this page is information, not competence. Receiving it does not make anyone a competent or authorised operator; only proper training, assessment and the employer’s written authorisation do that.
Documentation
- A record of the formal training and any certificate or test result.
- The employer’s written authorisation naming the trucks the operator may use.
- Daily pre-use check records and defect reports.
- A record documents what happened; it is not, by itself, proof of competence.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Treating awareness material as a substitute for formal training.
- Operating a truck or attachment you are not authorised for.
- Skipping the pre-use check or using a truck with a known defect.
- Carrying passengers, lifting people on forks, or speeding near pedestrians.
Who is responsible
The employer is responsible for arranging formal forklift training, for assessing competence, for authorising operators in writing, for traffic management and supervision, and for keeping records. This page is an educational outline only.
It does not deliver training, certify or authorise anyone, satisfy any legal requirement, or transfer the employer’s responsibility for safe forklift operation.
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