How To Drive a Forklift

Forklift operation is a learnable skill, but proper training is critical to keeping everyone safe. In this blog, we’ll discuss the importance of forklift training, the different types of forklift equipment, high-level operating steps, and safety tips.

Why Forklift Safety Matters

Forklifts are high-risk machines that can cause serious accidents if not operated safely. According to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA), there are 85 fatalities due to forklift accidents every year, along with 34,900 serious injuries. In fact, more than 11% of all forklifts in the U.S. are involved in accidents annually, often tip-overs or collisions.

Forklift accidents cost more than lives and injuries. Forklift safety also impacts:

• Worker Productivity. Serious injuries result in Days Away From Work (DAFW), and even minor incidents are likely to tie up time and resources, reducing worker productivity and efficiency.
• Workplace Morale. Forklifts are very common high-risk equipment, and poor safety practices can result in frequent accidents or near-misses, creating anxiety, low confidence, and staff turnover.
• Property Damage. Forklifts are expensive, and post-accident repairs or replacements can be costly. Safe operation helps avoid damaging the forklift, other machinery, stored goods, and other property.
• Regulatory Compliance. If your workplace contains forklift equipment, related safety measures are sure to be a focus of any OSHA audits or inspections. Adhering to OSHA’s forklift regulations helps businesses avoid fines, legal issues, and reputational harm.

What Does a Forklift Operator Do?

Forklift operators work in a variety of environments, like warehouses, construction, and manufacturing facilities.

Daily forklift operator duties include:

• Material Handling, including loading, unloading, transporting, and stacking raw materials, finished goods, and/or pallets of products.
• Safety Responsibilities, including pre-shift equipment inspections, ensuring loads are balanced and secured, and operating according to all OSHA and other safety guidelines.
• Inventory Control & Stock Management, including inventory tracking systems, rotating stock, organizing storage, and assisting with inventory counts.
• Maintenance, including regular forklift upkeep and reporting problems to management.

How Much Do Forklift Operators Make?

How much forklift operators make can vary depending on factors like experience, certification, location, and specific industry. Over half of forklift operators earn an average annual salary between $30,000 to $40,000.

Types of Forklifts and Material Handling Equipment

There are many types of forklifts, each designed for specific tasks and environments. Choosing the right one depends on the nature of the task, workspace, and operational needs. Different types of forklifts require different training, because each has unique capabilities and limitations.

Below, we’ll define different types of equipment, highlighting their unique purposes and where they are typically used, and provide a link to the relevant OSHA course in our catalog.

What You Should Know Before Driving a Forklift

Learning to drive a forklift safely and effectively requires proper training. Beyond training, preparation and awareness are the two most important factors for success, not specific technical maneuvers.

Here are the preparatory steps you’ll need before you operate a forklift.

Learn Your Forklift

Before operating a forklift, it’s important to understand the specific type of forklift you'll be operating. Different models have varying capabilities and limitations.

Reviewing the operator manual can teach you important factors, like its load capacity, stability requirements, safety procedures, and other features.

Perform Pre-Operation Safety Checks

Before forklift operation, you’ll be responsible for performing safety checks at the start of every shift.

This includes:

• Visual inspection for damage, leaks, or other issues that could compromise its safety,
• Testing that all safety devices, including horns, lights, and brakes, are functioning correctly, and
• Checking the tire pressure and battery level for optimal performance.

If you find any safety concerns, it’s important to stop immediately and consult a supervisor. Report all safety concerns as soon as they’re discovered and never operate a forklift that you know to be unsafe.

Understand Forklift Controls

When faced with a new model of forklift, it’s important to familiarize yourself with its controls before beginning use.

When learning how to operate a forklift, it’s important to:

• Understand the purpose of each control, including the steering wheel, pedals, levers, and buttons.
• Practice using the controls in a safe environment to develop muscle memory and coordination.
• Familiarize yourself with emergency stop procedures.

Why Forklift Training Is Required

You can’t learn to safely operate a forklift through online forklift driving tips alone.

OSHA restricts the operation of a powered industrial truck, like a forklift, to employees who have been properly trained and evaluated. Their forklift training requirements have three distinct components:

• Formal Instruction, involving classroom-style learning about safety standards, stability principles, and more. This portion can be completed online.
• Practical Training, involving hands-on demonstration and exercises on an actual forklift under direct supervision.
• Performance Evaluation, in which there is a formal assessment of the operator’s performance in the actual workplace environment.

Ultimately, employers are the ones with the legal burden for ensuring these requirements are met. They must verify trainer qualifications, keep certification records, and provide refresher training at least every three years, though immediate training is required if the operator is seen to be driving unsafely, switches to a new type of truck, or is involved in an accident or near miss.

Can You Learn to Drive a Forklift Online?

You can learn the theory of how to operate a forklift online. In other words, online training can fulfill the formal instruction step of forklift training requirements by providing a knowledge foundation of safety principles and hazard recognition.

The hands-on practice and evaluation components are still required, falling to the employer to perform. Employers are also required to verify that online training provides all the necessary knowledge to meet OSHA standards.

Final Takeaway on Forklift Operation

Forklifts are powerful, specialized machines capable of causing serious injury or damage. As a result, safety protocols, pre-operation preparation, and proper training are critical in preventing accidents and protecting lives.

Safety principles vary by forklift type, so training needs to match the equipment you’ll be operating. We offer online training solutions for Sit-Down Forklift Training, Stand-Up Forklift Training, and many other types of heavy equipment.

With equipment-specific preparation and training, operators can operate forklifts confidently and safely, knowing they have the necessary skills.