Forklift Safety

SAFETY MATTERS
WORKING TOGETHER. EVOLVING TOGETHER.

Safe Practices for Every Lift, Load, and Trip

Forklifts, also called powered industrial trucks, help us perform essential tasks, but they are also quite dangerous. Driving a forklift is a serious responsibility and should not be taken lightly. Forklift drivers must be properly trained and follow all safety procedures and precautions.

Below are some of the basic safety practices that forklift drivers are expected to observe.

Maintenance

• Each day, check that the truck is ready for the day’s work before operating. Remove an unsafe or defective truck from service, and have necessary repairs performed by authorized personnel.
• Report any malfunction or poor performance to your supervisor immediately.

Loading

• Travel slowly on inclines and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the truck and load. Loaded trucks must travel with the load uphill on grades exceeding 10 percent; do not apply a blanket direction-of-travel rule to unloaded trucks.
• Do not travel with the load elevated and keep the load stable and as close to the floor as possible while maintaining adequate clearance.
• Avoid raising or lowering a load while the truck is moving.
• Use backward tilt carefully to stabilize the load. When stacking or tiering, use only enough backward tilt to stabilize it; follow the truck manufacturer’s load-handling instructions.
• Make sure the load is balanced and is within the capacity of the truck.
• Never use bare forks as a personnel elevator. Any personnel-lifting operation must use equipment approved for that purpose and follow applicable requirements and manufacturer instructions.

Driving

• Always make sure your driving path is clear.
• Slow down for corners, blind spots, and doorways.
• Drive defensively by always being aware of your surroundings and watching for the unexpected.
• Never try to turn on an incline.
• Cross tracks diagonally wherever possible and slow down for uneven floors and surfaces.
• Keep legs, arms, feet, hands and head inside the truck.
• Always give those on foot the right of way.
• Stay out from under forks and loads.
• Never show off or use the machine for anything other than your specified job tasks.
• Never give anyone an unauthorized ride or allow anyone who is untrained to operate the forklift.

To ensure your safety and the safety of everyone in the workplace, it is important that all forklift drivers operate their machinery responsibly and with safety in mind.

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THE HOLT GROUP LLC | www.theholtgroupllc.com

This Safety Matters document is not intended to be exhaustive, nor should any discussion or opinion be construed as legal advice. Readers should contact legal counsel for appropriate advice. © Zywave, Inc., The Holt Group LLC All rights reserved. All images are from Google Images and Story Blocks. Revised 2026