(These sample questions and answers are ONLY used  Surrounding buildings

to guide and assist. It will give you better  Personnel in area

understanding of what kind of questions there
may be in the forklift assessment)
Part1: Theory
1. Explain what is a hazard?
 A hazard is anything or situation that maybe
harmful to you or others while you work.
2. What is a risk of hazard to a person?
 It may cause death, injury or illness.
3. When operating a forklift truck what is your duty of
care to yourself and other people? (list2)
 Take reasonable care
 Must not harm the health or safety of yourself
and others.
4. What are (2) things that Safe work NSW can do if a
HRW license holder fails to work safely on the worksite?
 Cancel their license
 Refuse to renew their license
5. List (3) sources of safety information in the workplace.
 Legislation and regulations
 Safe working procedures
 Operations manual
 OHS/WHS policy
 Manufacturer’s instructions
6. What are (3) actions an employer should provide
workers about health and safety in the workplace?
 Dangerous materials
 Other equipment in area
 Weather condition ( snow or ice, cold or strong
winds)
 Railway lines
 Vehicle traffic
 Overhead service line
 Lighting
10. What are the minimum safe distances you would keep
your forklift away from power lines?
 3 m (up to132,000 Volt)
 6 m (up to330,000 Volts)
 8 m (above 330,000 Volts)
11. How would you determine the voltage of overhead
power lines?
Contact Power Company.
12. What (5) steps you should take if the forklift you are
operating makes contact with power lines?
 Warn others to stay away
 Break contact with the power lines
 Stay in the forklift until safe to exit. Do not touch
the forklift and the ground at the same time
 Report it to manager and power company
 Check the forklift before reuse
13. What (2) type of visual systems can be used to notify
people of overhead power lines?
 Tiger Tails
 Powerline marker balls

 Provide and maintain work health and safety 14. What are (3) control measures you can use to protect
 Provide and maintain safe systems of work the safety of people, vehicles or mobile plant during
 Provide any information, training forklift operations?
 Make arrangements for safety use of all equipments  Warning signs
 Flashing lights
7. What must your employer provide to you before you  Flag person
undertaking work on a forklift?  Barriers
 Vehicle exclusion zone
 Supervision, Information, training
 Pedestrian exclusion zones
8. Who would you report hazards to in the workplace
before you start work? (List 3) 15. What do you need to do if you had to work at night or
in a dark area?
 Safety officers • Site engineers  Set up enough lighting to work safely
 Managers • Colleagues
 Supervisors • Authorized person 16. Why is it dangerous to use internal combustion engines
in confined spaces?
Explain why is it important you should consult with  People could be overcome by dangerous gasses
these people?
What type of forklift is most suitable to use in a
 To ensure all workplace policies are in place. confined area?
 Electric forklift
9. List (7) workplace hazards that you need to consider
and plan for before driving forklift? 17. How can a weather forecast help your planning for the
 Power lines day’s operations?
 Helps to plan the work environment
 Doorways
18. Why must batteries be charged in a well ventilated
area?
 To stop build up of explosive gases
19. What are (2) safety actions you should take when
operating the forklift truck on wet or slippery surfaces?
 Drive slow
 Turn slow
20. Why is ‘rear end’ swing dangerous for the people
nearby when using a forklift?
27. List (3) possible hazards in winter season that can
affect forklift operations.
 Snow or ice
 Cold strong winds
 Wet or slippery conditions
28. Why is tyre pressure (air-filled tyres) important to the
stability of a forklift truck?
 Maintaining the stability of the forklift

 Rear-end swing happens very fast it can injure or 29. List (4) defects you might find on the forklift while
kill people. checking the wheels and tyres.
 Large chunks missing
21. Why should you never refuel petrol forklift while the
engine is running?  Tyre worn down
 Spark could ignite fuel.  Uneven wear
 Flat tyre
22. What are (3) ways you can communicate with others
on a work site? 30. Where would you get information on how to secure an
 Hand Signs attachment to the forklift?
 Team meeting  In the manufacturer’s instructions
 Written instructions
31. What will be the effect on the load capacity when you
 Warning devices add an attachment to a forklift?
 Signage  Reduced the load capacity.
 Eye contact
32. What are (2) safety guards fitted to a forklift and what
23. If a signal from a co-worker is unclear at the work place, is their function?
what should you do?  Overhead guard: ______protect operator
 Stop the forklift, wait and ask for a clear signal.
 Load backrest guard: ___protect mast
24. You are about to drive the forklift. What (5) things
(other than workplace hazards) that would you need to
33. List (3) operational checks you would conduct on a
forklift truck before starting operation?
consider to ensure safe operations?
 Brakes
 Communication  Hydraulics
 Location of the task  horn and flashing lights
 Blind corners
 Confined spaces 34. What are (3) ways you can determine the weight of a
load?
 Capacity of the forklift
 Load label
 Weight of attachment  Weighbridge ticket
 Permits for the task  Calculation
 Equipment required for the task
35. When traveling with a large load that obscures your
25. List (6) pre-Start checks that you would conduct on a vision, what (3) actions would you take?
forklift truck before using it?
 Fork arms • Seat & Seat belt  Check mirrors
 Load backrest • Tyres  Check the pathway is clear
 Use horn and flashing lights
 Mast • Data plate
 Drive reverse
 Overhead guard • Battery
 Mirror • Controls 36. During forklift operations why should load movement
be monitored?
26. During the pre-start checks of the forklift truck you  Keep the load stable at all times
notice damaged or defects (Including the data plate)  Keep other workers safe
what (3) actions would you take?
 Remove key 37. When driving a forklift truck with a load up a hill, which
 Tag ‘do not use’ way should the load be facing?
 Report to supervisor  Up hill
38. When a forklift is loaded, why it is unsafe to turn the
forklift on a ramp or sloping surface? (list 2)
 Forklift may tip over sideways
 Lose the load
39. Why must you never raise a load over or near people?
 If the load falls it could kill people
40. What must be provided on a forklift truck to allow a
passenger to be carried?
 (Only if designed to do) fitted with approved
extra seat and seat belt
41. When operating a forklift why is it dangerous travelling
with the load raised high?
 Forklift may tip over sideways
 Lose the load
42. When driving a forklift what is a ‘safe’ height to carry
the load at?
 Front axle height
43. Why is it unsafe to carry a load with only one fork arm?
What could happen to the fork arm and forklift?
 Forklift unstable and tip over sideways
 Fork arms can be stress and damage
44. Name (3) forklift operating actions that may cause a
forklift truck to tip over sideways while travelling?
 Driving too fast
 Uneven load
 Driving with a flat tyre
 Turning at speed
 Lifting a load on one fork arm
45. List (3) attachments that can be used on the forklift
 Drum grab
 Carpet spike and slings
 Rotator
46. Name (3) forklift operating actions that may cause a
forklift truck to tip forward while travelling?
 Driving too fast
 Uneven load
 Driving over uneven surfaces
 Overloading
 Severe braking
47. What (2) things that you would do if the forklift is
tipping over sideways?
 Stay in the forklift
 Brace yourself until safe to exit
48. Why must you wear a seatbelt on a forklift?
Stop driver falling out if tip over.
49. Where is the Point of Balance (fulcrum) on a forklift
truck?
 Where the front tyre touches the ground.
50. For what reasons should a side-shift attachment be
centralised before traveling with a load?
 Keep forklift and load stable
51. When stacking some loads one on top of others what
(3) things must be considered?
 Stacked on a firm surface
 Heavy goods on the bottom
 Not stacked too high
52. What should be provided for the gap between a truck
and a loading dock before shifting a load?
 Dock plate or bridge plates
53. Where would you find the rated load capacity and a
suitable attachment for a forklift?
 Forklift data plate
54. What is a possible hazard when you use a jib
attachment on a forklift?
 Reduce the forklift stability
55. List (2) things you would do if the machine loses of
control.
 Stop the forklift
 Report to manager
 Check the forklift before reuse
56. Explain load centre distance?
 The distance from the vertical face of the forks to
the load’s centre of gravity.
57. How will a forklift truck be affected if the load is not
hard against the heel of the fork arms?
 Forklift Capacity reduced, stability may be
affected.
58. What is the most common load centre distance in
millimeters?
 600mm
59. List (3) places where you would never park the forklift
truck after operating.
 Doorways
 Emergency exits
 First aid station
 Sloping surfaces
60. What is the correct way to park a forklift truck?
 Park in ‘Neutral’
 Applies parking brake
 Lowers fork arms to the ground
 Removes key
61. For what reason must you removed the ignition key
when you leave the forklift unattended?
 Stop unauthorized to use
Part 2: Calculation
Before moving a load, find out its weight. Check the data plate to find out if the forklift can support the load.

The main (3) three ways to do this are:

 By reading the weight load in the packing list or on the load.
 By reading the weighbridge ticket if it is a large or very heavy
single load
 You can calculate the weight of the load.

Example: there is a load to be moved. The load is stacked cartons on a pallet.

 Four (4) cartons per layer

 Six(6) layers on the pallet
 One(1) carton is 25 kg
 One(1)Pallet weighs 15 kg

What is the total weight?

Answer: cartons x layers x carton +pallet

Total weight=4x6x25+15
Total weight=615 kg

Load centre distance:

The distance measured from the vertical face of the forks to the load centre of gravity.

You need to judge the load’s centre of gravity so you know if you can lift a particular load.

The forklifts shown below can lift 4500kg at a load centre distance of 600 mm.
1. Which of the loads are within the capacity of the forklift truck? (A) (B) (C)

(A) 1500 = 750 mm (B) 1300 = 650 mm (C) 1000 = 500 mm

2 2 2
Part3: Observation Checklist
Legislation states that a forklift truck must be inspected every day or at the beginning of each shift.
This is essential to ensure that the forklift is in good operating condition.

Forklift trucks have (2) safety guards: (1) overhead guard (2) load backrest guard

1. Hazard identification and hazard risk control 11. Data plate:

Mast vertical maximum load: 1450 kg
1. Power lines
12. Counterweights
2. Railway lines
13. Brake fluid
3. Surrounding building
14. Hydraulic oil
4. Weather conditions
15. Tyres, nuts
5. Vehicle traffic
6. Personnel in area 3. Conduct operational checks (on the forklift)
7. Doorways 1. Mounts correctly
8. Overhead service lines 2. Seat belt
9. Dangerous materials (gas bottle, charges) 3. Check lights, reversing lights
10. Other equipment in area 4. Check warning devices
5. Check gauges
2. Conduct pre-start checks (walk around the forklift)
6. Check Brake (While moving)
1. Fork arms 7. Check Steering (While moving)
2. Locking pins 8. Check any leaking oil
3. Load back rest 9. Check lift , tilt and side shift (must Test full
4. Mast extent of movement)
5. Chain tensioned
4. Shut down and secure the forklift
6. Side Shift cylinder
1. Park in ‘Neutral’
7. Tilt cylinder 2. Applies parking brake
8. Lift cylinder 3. Lowers fork arms to the ground
9. Overhead guard 4. Removes keys
10. Emergency isolator 5. Dismount correctly