Over 20,000 people are seriously injured in forklifts accidents in this
country every year and some 100 people are killed. Many, if not all, of
these accidents are avoidable.
www.ehow.com/facts_5467595_forklift.html
Forklift Operation
1) Read the operations manual
2) Perform pre-operation safety checklist
-Circle
check for tire inflation, damage, leaks, debris/obstacles, etc
-Check tire
pressure & refill if necessary
-Check
fluid levels/battery/propane etc
-Check maintenance
log & record usage
-Put on any
required safety gear (Steel toed boots/Hard hat/etc)
Starting up your
vehicle
3) Connect battery/propane to forklift
4) Turn on forklift (Switch or key)
5) Check safety lights atop vehicle are working
6) Raise forks slightly before driving
Driving your forklift
7) Check that the area ahead is clear, shift the forklift
into forward, release the parking brake, and press accelerator pedal to begin
moving forward
8) Proceed to destination, obeying posted/regulation speed
limits. Use the brake pedal and steering wheel to maintain speed and course as
appropriate.
9) Sound horn before proceeding around any corners.
10) Observe mirrors or signals to ensure clear passage.
Lifting with the
forklift
11) When approaching a load to be lifted, assess it before
engaging – is the load evenly distributed? Is it within the rated weight limits
of the forklift? Is the load appropriately secured? If the answer to any of
these questions is no, ensure the safety of the load safe before proceeding.
12) Approach the load from directly in front.
13) Raise the forks to the level of the load, using the
marked altitude lever.
14) Move the forklift forward, putting the forks into the
load, keeping the load centered on the forks.
15) Raise the forks to lift the load off the ground or
shelf.
16) Tilt the forks backwards to shift the load’s center of
gravity toward the forklift, using the marked angle lever.
17) Shift the forklift into reverse, and move backwards
until the load is clear of the shelf or storage area.
18) Lower the load to approx 1 foot from the ground. Never
travel with the load raised.
19) Shift the forklift into forward, and proceed at the
appropriate speed again to the load’s destination.
20) Reverse the loading procedure to carefully place the
load in desired location.
21) Repeat as desired
Parking the forklift
22) At the end of the desired tasks, return the forklift to
the docking bay
23) Shift the forklift into neutral, apply the parking
brake, and turn off the forklift
After the ride
24) Record in the maintenance log all time logged on the
forklift
25) Perform a circle check around the forklift again. Record
any issues and actions taken to resolve them.
26) Reconnect the battery to charger, or remove propane tank
for filling.
ALWAYS REMEMBER 
Forklifts can be a powerful tool for many businesses. If you follow the 26 steps listed above, you should be able to have an incident free time on your forklift. Don't forget to get certified before you use a forklift.
For more information on forklift certification see: http://www.liftow.com/training/certified.asp
