1. SAFE OPERATION OF A LIFT TRUCK
Sit-down Counterbalanced Lift Truck

2. Introduction The modules of this course are open for ONLY TWO WEEKS.
Welcome to
Safe Operation
of Lift Trucks
course
At the end of each module you will complete a quiz. After completing all 10 modules you will take the final test, which is graded on the basis of Pass – Fail. A pass requires a minimum of 80%.
Upon successful completion of this course and final test a Statement of Accomplishment is issued.

3. Course Objectives
Upon the successful completion of the Safe Operation of Lift Trucks, participants will:
Have a basic understanding of general lift truck legislation and applicable standards
Know about the duties and responsibilities of employers, supervisors and workers relating to the safe operation of lift trucks
Have an understanding of the different types of lift trucks, their anatomy, and their basic components
Clearly understand important principals relating to lift truck stability and capacity, and have the ability to use their knowledge to prevent stability and capacity related incidents

4. Course Objectives
Upon the successful completion of the Safe Operation of Lift Trucks, participants will:
Understand the common hazards associated with lift trucks and have the ability to use that knowledge to prevent incidents
Understand the principals relating to the safe operation of lift trucks including start up, traveling, pedestrians and shut down
Have an understanding of load handling principals relating to the most common scenarios found in workplaces and utilize their knowledge to prevent load handling incidents
Understand the guidelines relating to refueling and recharging lift trucks

5. Modules
We will cover all the detailed information related to the Sit-down Counterbalanced Lift Truck through the following modules:
1. Hazard Identification
2. Competency and general responsibilities
3. Lift truck classification
4. Lift truck design
5. Attachments
6. Fuel sources
7. Stability principles
8. Pre-operational checks
9. Safe operating procedures

6. History
Before we start with each module, let’s review a bit of history and some important concepts …
Before 18th century
From the earliest civilizations right up to the start of the Industrial Revolution, humans used muscle power, organization skills and ingenious mechanics to lift weights
18th century
After the Industrial Revolution, the speed of lifting machines was extremely low, while the amount of man power required to operate them remained very high

7. History
Before we start with each module, let’s review a bit of history and some important concepts …
19th century
Human powered lifting devices became so elaborate that one man could lift a 15 ton truck in no time, using only one hand. Machines evolved with the use of steam power
20th century
Lift trucks evolved from hoists, essentially chains and winches, and gave way to wooden platform. Electric motors and traction batteries were incorporated to the wooden trucks and their trailers

8. Definition of Lift Truck
Before we start with each module, let’s review a bit of history and some important concepts …
A Lift truck (LT) is a small truck or a hand-or power-operated machine equipped with an attachment (such as forks, platform or any other type) for lifting, transporting and handling material safely and efficiently in many environments.

9. Glossary
Attachment: a device other than conventional forks or load backrest extension, mounted permanently or removably on the elevating mechanism of a truck for handling the load. Common attachments are fork extensions, clamps, rotating devices, side shifters, load stabilizers, rams, and booms.
Brake-Parking: instrument of the LT that prevents inadvertent movement of a stationary truck.
Brake-Service: the primary instrument used for stopping and holding the truck.
Capacity: is used to designate the weight-handling ability of a particular truck, as equipped. the capacity of a truck equipped with load carriage and forks, or with attachments; specifically, the weight at a specified load centre that a given truck can transport in a carry position and stack to the specified elevation of the load-engaging means.

10. Glossary
Carriage: a support structure for forks or attachments, generally roller-mounted, travelling vertically within the mast of a lift truck. Carriages have been standardized for hook type fork carriages. Carriages for pin type forks will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Capacity of the carriage will be determined by the fork size and the carriage pin size. Pin mounted forks will also vary by the amount of offset between the fork and the fork eye.
Centre of gravity: the point where a mass (weight) would be perfectly balanced if it were suspended from that single point (also called the “suspended centre of gravity”).
Centre of gravity of a load: that point at which the load mass is concentrated. It is located horizontally by its distance from the vertical fork face and vertically by its distance above the load- bearing surface of the forks, or by using equivalents for other load-engaging means.

11. Glossary
Centre of gravity of a loaded lift truck (Combined centre of gravity): a dynamic point that shifts depending on the mass (weight), height, and position of the load being carried.
Classification of lift trucks: a listing, by category, of lift trucks.
Clamps: There are different types of clamps. Bale clamps are used to handle any type of non-palletized baled products from cotton to aluminum cans. These attachments have two sliding arm that pick up the bales from the ends for transport and storage. Carton clamps allow warehousing of larger items such as appliances or electronics. Space is saved by eliminating the need for pallets. Drum clamps are designed to handle from one to four 55 gallon drums. Drum clamps can also be equipped with a rotator for emptying drums.
Dock board: a portable or fixed device for spanning the gap, or compensating for differences in levels, between a loading platform and a transport vehicle.

12. Glossary
Fall arrest system: an assembly of components joined together so that when the assembly is connected to an anchorage, it is capable of arresting a worker's fall.
Fire and electrical hazard labeling: Fork Lift trucks may be specifically labeled as to their acceptability for use in hazardous locations. A labeled truck indicates the design has met the minimum standards of ANSI/UL 558 for engine powered trucks or ANSI/UL 583 for electric trucks for the type label attached to the lift truck. Applications for labeled trucks may be found in National Fire Protection Association NFPA 505 – Powered Industrial Trucks Including Type Designations, Areas of Use, Maintenance and Operation.
Fork: a horizontal tine-like projection, normally suspended from the carriage, for engaging and supporting loads. Forks come in two styles, hook type and pin type. Hook type are generally found on trucks up to 14,000 lbs. capacity. Pin, or shaft mounted, type forks are found on the larger capacity lift trucks.

13. Glossary
• Hook type forks are so named as the hook over and lock into the bars of the fork carriage. The forks can be installed by sliding the upper and lower hooks on to end of the carriage bars or through a special fork loading notch in the center of the lower carriage mounting bar.
• Pin type forks mount to the fork lift carriage by means of the fork pin or shaft. The pin slides through an eye on the top of the fork and holds the fork to the fork carriage.
Forks sizes have been standardized within the industry and are load rated according to fork thickness and width. When replacing a fork, insure the new fork has the same load rating as the fork being replaced. The fork rating will be stamped on the shank of the fork.
Fork extension: a lift truck attachment that is added to the truck fork to increase the fork's effective length for handling oversized, uniformly distributed loads.

14. Glossary
Height: the vertical distance from the floor to the horizontal load-carrying surface of the forks, measured adjacent to the heel of the forks, and in the case of reach trucks, with the forks extended.
Inching, inch braking, or inch control: process where an internal-combustion engine lift truck moves slowly while the engine is operated at high speed to allow full speed operation of the lift truck hydraulic system. Further application of the inch/brake pedal will completely disengage the transmission, fully apply the brakes, and bring he forklift to a complete stop. Inching allows slow controlled movement of the forklift truck and is accomplished by simultaneous operation of the inch/brake pedal and the accelerator.
Lift truck battery-electric: an electric lift truck in which the power source is a storage battery.

15. Glossary
Lift truck forklift: a lift truck equipped with load carriage and forks for transporting and tiering loads.
Lift truck high-lift: a lift truck equipped with an elevating mechanism designed to permit tiering.
Note: Common types are the high lift fork truck, high lift ram truck, high lift boom truck, high lift clamp truck, and high lift platform truck.
Lift truck high-lift order picker: a high lift truck controllable by the operator stationed on a movable platform with the load-engaging means and intended for (manual) stock selection. The lift truck can be capable of self-loading and tiering.
Lift truck high-lift platform: a lift truck equipped with a load platform, intended primarily for transporting and tiering loaded skid platforms.
Lift truck internal combustion engine: a truck in which the power source
is a gasoline, liquefied petroleum (LP) gas, or diesel engine.

16. Glossary
Lift truck motorized hand/rider: a dual purpose lift truck that is designed for control by a walking or riding operator.
Lift truck narrow aisle: a lift truck primarily intended for right-angle stacking in aisles narrower than those normally required by counterbalanced trucks of the same capacity.
Lift truck non-powered: a manually propelled lift truck used to carry, push, pull, stack, or tier material.
Lift truck operator-up, high-lift: a high lift truck controllable by an operator stationed on a platform that is elevatable. Note: Common types include high lift order picker trucks and operator-up, counterbalanced front and side loader trucks.
Lift truck rider: a lift truck that is designed to be controlled by a riding operator.

17. Glossary
Lift truck rough terrain: a wheeled-type lift truck, designed primarily as a forklift truck, that may be equipped with attachments and that is intended for operation on unimproved natural terrain as well as the disturbed terrain of construction sites.
Lift truck straddle: a general class of cantilever lift truck, generally high lift, with horizontal, structural wheel-supported members extending forward from the main body of the truck, intended for picking up and hauling loads between its outrigger arms.
Lift truck variable reach rough terrain: a rough terrain lift truck with the additional capability of extending and retracting the forks (and load) in a longitudinal direction.
Load backrest: that portion of the carriage and forks serving to restrain the load when the load is tilted rearward or upward.

18. Glossary
Lift truck rough terrain: a wheeled-type lift truck, designed primarily as a forklift truck, that may be equipped with attachments and that is intended for operation on unimproved natural terrain as well as the disturbed terrain of construction sites.
Lift truck straddle: a general class of cantilever lift truck, generally high lift, with horizontal, structural wheel-supported members extending forward from the main body of the truck, intended for picking up and hauling loads between its outrigger arms.
Lift truck variable reach rough terrain: a rough terrain lift truck with the additional capability of extending and retracting the forks (and load) in a longitudinal direction.
Load backrest: that portion of the carriage and forks serving to restrain the load when the load is tilted rearward or upward.

19. Glossary
Load backrest extension: a removable device that increases the load restraining area beyond that provided by the load backrest.
Load centre: the position of the load's centre of gravity in the horizontal plane only, relative to the vertical load-engaging face of the forks (or the equivalent for other load-engaging means). It constitutes the standard or base for rating the load capacity of a lift truck (see Centre of gravity of a load).
Mast: the support member providing the guideways that permit vertical movement of the carriage. The mast is usually constructed in the form of channels or similar sections that provide the supporting pathway for the carriage rollers. Masts are specified by the type of mast, the lowered height, the lift height, and mast free lift. The mast lowered height is the height of the top of the mast from the floor when the mast is fully lowered. The lift height is the distance from the floor to the top of the upper fork surface when the mast is fully extended.

20. Glossary
Operator: a person trained in accordance with this Standard and authorized by the person's employer to be in control of the lift truck.
Overhead guard: a framework mounted on the lift truck and positioned above the head of the riding operator to protect against falling objects.
Personal fall arrest system: an assembly of interconnected components and subsystems connected to a suitable anchorage that acts to arrest a worker's fall.
Rotator: Attachment integrated to the carriage to allow 360 degree rotation of the forks or carriage attachment. Mostly used for inversion of drums or bins.
Stability triangle: the triangle that has one point at the centre of each front wheel and one point at the centre of the lift truck's steering wheel axle. The relative location, inside or outside the triangle, of the combined centre of gravity of the truck and load determines the stability of the truck.

21. Glossary
Sideshift: the movement of the forks side to side. This is to assist in positioning the forks when picking up or depositing a load. Sideshift is normally used to insure the load is correctly centered on the forks without having to reposition the forklift. A normal sideshift would be 4” to 6” of movement to either side of the center of the forklift and would add 2” to the overall length of the forklift. The forks mount to the front of the sideshift carriage. Sideshift carriages are available for mounting of all types of forks.
Stand-up electric forklifts: Stand-Up electric forklifts are a more compact type of forklift than either Cushion or Pneumatic sit down forklifts making them ideal for areas of operation that are more confined. The most common electric voltages are 24v, 36v, 48v. They generally come with battery chargers that maintain the unit's power while not being used. The tires are more often than not cushion type tires best suited for smooth surfaces. The operator stands on a pressure-activated pedal that unlocks or enables safe operation of the unit. Common capacities range from
2,000lbs. – 5,000lbs. with common lift heights ranging from 10ft. – 24ft.

22. Glossary Tiering: the process of placing one load on or above another.
Tires – Cushion: Smooth profile, solid tire. The tread is bonded to a steel ring to form the tire. The tire is pressed on to a hub that is mounted to the lift truck. Normally used in smooth floor warehouse applications. These tires are available in various rubber or polyurethane compounds. A poly tire is a solid tire made of polyurethane instead of rubber. Poly tires are used in place of cushion tires in those applications requiring a higher tire load capacity or a lower steering effort than can be obtained with the cushion tire. Poly tires can be obtained in a variety of hardness ratings to meet individual application requirements. Narrow Aisle and Order picker lift trucks will typically use small diameter poly tires for the outrigger load wheels.
Tires – Pneumatic: Various tread patterns, filled with air. Mounted to multi-piece rims. May be foam filled for puncture resistance. Normally used in outdoor, rough surface applications.

23. Glossary
Tires - Solid Pneumatic / Pneumatic Shaped Solid: Solid tire molded in the shape of a pneumatic tire. Has a soft rubber inner core to provide the ride of a pneumatic tire while providing the puncture resistance of a solid tire. Normally used in all types of applications to replace pneumatic tires.
Tow tractor: a powered truck designed primarily to draw one or more non-powered trucks, trailers, or other mobile loads.
Travel restraint system: a system that prevents one or more persons from reaching an unprotected edge or opening by coupling a worker's body holding device to an anchorage using a connecting means of suitable length (such as a restraint lanyard).

24. Competent Operator COMPETENT OPERATOR
  Operating a LT SAFELY requires a person fully trained and qualified, that is a COMPETENT operator.
COMPETENT OPERATOR
is a person who knows …
the job: knowledge, training and experience
 the law: familiar with applicable legislation and standards
the hazards associated with the task and how to control them

25. You have finished this module.
End of the Module
WELL DONE!
You have finished this module.