
Test-Day Pack
- Canonical mnemonics — print and stick on the fridge
- Critical safety rules — anything below will fail you
- Pre-start walk-around checklist
- Data plate & load-moment cheat sheet
- Quick-reference panels (Park, Tip-over, LPG, Fire)
- 60-question paper mock + marking key
Canonical mnemonics — fridge magnet
Memorise these. Every one shows up under a slightly different question on the real test.
Critical safety rules
Missing any of these in the written or practical test is treated as Not Yet Competent. Lock every one in.
- Wear the seatbelt every time the truck moves — even one metre. If it tips, STAY IN, brace, lean away from the fall.
- Never exceed the rated capacity at the actual load centre. Check the data plate, including any attachment de-rating.
- Travel with forks low (commonly 100–150 mm) and mast tilted back. Walking pace near pedestrians.
- Three points of contact mounting and dismounting. Never jump.
- Pre-start out loud every shift: brakes, lights, tyres, horn, steering, forks, mast, hydraulics, data plate, fluids, seatbelt, leaks, attachments.
- Clear exclusion zone around an operating truck. Sound the horn at blind corners and doors. Stop if a pedestrian enters the zone.
- Load uphill on slopes. Reverse down with the load. Never turn on a slope.
- Park sequence (FNBK): forks down flat, tilt forward, neutral, park brake on, key/isolator off.
- LPG: outdoors or well-ventilated, valve closed before disconnecting, cylinder upright, check periodic retest date (AS/NZS 2030 — typically 10 yrs), no ignition sources.
- Fire on electrics or LPG: CO₂ or dry chemical — NEVER water.
- Never lift people on the tynes. A compliant work platform with the operator at the truck controls is the only safe way.
- Report all incidents and notifiable incidents under the WHS Act 2011 (or your state's equivalent). Tag out faulty equipment.
Pre-start walk-around — BLT-HSFMHD
Tick every item out loud before you start the truck on the practical.
- Tyres — pressure, condition, no flats or cuts
- Forks — straight, no cracks, locking pins seated
- Chains — tension equal, no broken links, lubricated
- Mast — rollers, hoses, no leaks; lift/lower/tilt smooth
- Hydraulics — no leaks, fluid level, hoses intact
- Brakes — service brake firm, park brake holds
- Steering — full lock both ways, no excessive play
- Horn — clear and loud
- Lights — head, tail, reversing, beacon
- Seatbelt — present, fastens, no fraying
- Data plate — fitted and legible, matches truck/attachment
- Fluids — engine oil, coolant, hydraulic oil, battery water (or LPG cylinder)
- Attachment — secured, rated, factored into capacity
- ROPS / FOPS — fitted and undamaged
- Walk-around — no leaks under truck, area clear of pedestrians
Data plate & load-moment cheat sheet
Quick-reference panels
- Lower forks flat to the floor
- Tilt forward
- Neutral
- Park brake ON
- Key / isolator OFF
Stay in the cab. Seatbelt on. Brace your feet. Lean away from the direction of the fall. Never jump.
- Outdoors or well-ventilated, no ignition sources
- Cylinder upright, valve closed before disconnecting
- Check date stamp — periodic retest under AS/NZS 2030 (typically 10 yrs)
- Secure, no damage, no leaks (soap-and-water test)
- Electrical & LPG: CO₂ or dry chem
- NEVER water on electrics or LPG
- Sound the alarm, evacuate, fight only if trained & safe
Load uphill, always. Forward up, reverse down with a load. Opposite when unladen.
Clear exclusion zone around the truck (3 m is common site practice). Horn at blind corners and doors. Stop if a pedestrian enters the zone.
60-question paper mock
Sit it like the real test. Pencil, no phone. Give two lines for each answer. Marking key is at the back.
- Name the Act that sets your duties as a forklift operator in Australia.
- What does PCBU stand for and what are their main duties?
- List at least eight items you check during the pre-start walk-around.
- What is the rated capacity? Where do you find it?
- Define load centre. What is the standard load centre on most trucks?
- Write the load-moment formula and use it to find the max load at 900 mm LC for a 2500 kg @ 600 mm truck.
- What does the stability triangle describe?
- Why does raising the mast reduce the safe capacity?
- Why does fitting a side-shift or rotator reduce capacity?
- List four items shown on the data plate.
- Explain what 'three points of contact' means when mounting and dismounting.
- What height should you carry the forks when travelling and why?
- Why do you tilt the mast back when travelling with a load?
- Going up a slope with a load — forward or reverse, and why?
- Going down a slope with a load — forward or reverse, and why?
- List the five steps of the park sequence in order.
- When is the seatbelt required?
- What do you do if the truck tips over?
- How big is a typical exclusion zone around an operating forklift, and what is it for?
- Where should you sound the horn?
- What are two hazards loading a parked truck or trailer, and how do you control them?
- What is trailer creep and how do you prevent it?
- What checks do you do before driving onto a dock plate?
- What two things make a stack unstable?
- List the steps to change an LPG cylinder safely.
- Why do you do an LPG leak test with soap and water?
- How often is an LPG cylinder periodically retested and under what standard?
- What extinguisher do you use on an electrical fire? Why never water?
- Name the six steps of the hierarchy of control in order.
- Define a hazard versus a risk.
- What is a SWMS and when do you need one?
- What is a notifiable incident? Who do you notify, and how does notification work in your state?
- What is a near miss and why must it be reported?
- Name three pedestrian-control measures on a busy site.
- What three things must you check on a pallet before lifting it?
- What do you do if a load is unstable or damaged?
- How do you carry a liquid load safely?
- What is the procedure for lifting a load off a high rack?
- Why must you never lift people on the tynes?
- What features make a work platform safe to lift people from a forklift?
- What PPE is required when charging an electric truck?
- Why ventilate the area when charging batteries?
- What do you do with a faulty truck?
- What logbook entries are required at the start and end of shift?
- What does HRWL stand for and which class covers a forklift?
- List four conditions of your HRWL.
- Name three hand signals a spotter might use.
- What is the difference between longitudinal and lateral stability?
- Why is the combined centre of gravity important?
- What do you do if visibility is blocked by a tall load?
- Why do you reverse with a tall load?
- What checks do you do before reversing?
- How do you cross rail tracks safely?
- What two things must you check on a dock leveller?
- What is the maximum gradient the truck is rated for? Where do you find that?
- Two examples of unsafe ground conditions and what to do.
- What is the safe shutdown procedure at the end of shift?
- How do you prevent unauthorised use after shutdown?
- What documentation must travel with the truck?
- If you smell LPG near the truck, what do you do?
Model answers — assessor wording
Mark yourself competent only if every critical answer matches the meaning below.
- Work Health and Safety Act 2011, supported by the WHS Regulation 2017 — or your state's equivalent (OHS Act 2004 in VIC, WHS Act 2020 in WA).
- Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking. Primary duty is to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of workers and others affected by the work.
- Tyres, forks, chains, mast, hydraulics, brakes, steering, horn, lights, seatbelt, data plate, fluids, attachment, walk-around for leaks (see BLT-HSFMHD).
- The maximum load the truck can safely carry at its rated load centre. Found on the data plate (load rating plate).
- Horizontal distance from the heel of the fork to the load's centre of gravity. Standard load centre is commonly 600 mm.
- Rated Cap × Rated LC = Actual Load × Actual LC. → (2500 × 600) / 900 = 1666 kg max load.
- The area between the front axle and the steer-axle pivot. The combined centre of gravity must stay inside this triangle or the truck tips.
- Because raising the mast raises the combined centre of gravity, which makes the truck less stable laterally.
- Attachments add weight, change the load centre, and shift the centre of gravity — the truck must be re-rated by a competent person.
- Make, model, serial number, mast height, attachment, tyres, rated capacity, rated load centre, de-rated capacity for attachments / raised mast.
- Two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand, in contact with the truck at all times when mounting or dismounting. Never jump.
- Forks low (commonly 100–150 mm) and mast tilted back. Keeps the centre of gravity low and stops the load running off.
- Tilting back uses the mast to cradle the load against the heels of the forks so it can't slide forward when braking.
- Forward — keeps the load uphill so it can't slide off and helps the truck stay stable.
- Reverse — load must stay uphill. Driving forward down a slope with a load can let the load run off the forks and shift the truck's centre of gravity.
- Lower forks flat to the floor, tilt forward, neutral, park brake on, key/isolator off (FNBK).
- Every time the truck is in operation — even moving short distances. If the truck tips, the belt is what stops you being crushed.
- Stay in the cab. Hold the wheel. Brace your feet. Lean away from the direction of the fall. Never jump.
- Common site practice is around 3 m clear around an operating forklift. It keeps pedestrians out of the path and tipping radius.
- At every blind corner, every doorway, when reversing, when approaching pedestrians.
- Trailer creep and the trailer not being chocked. Control: chock wheels, use dock locks, communicate with the driver, never operate while a trailer is being moved.
- Trailer creep is the trailer drifting away from the dock as the forklift drives in and out. Prevented by chocking wheels and dock locks.
- Plate is rated for the load, properly seated on the truck, no damage, secured so it can't shift, dock and trailer aligned.
- Loads too heavy or off-centre at the top, and damaged or unstable pallets underneath.
- Outdoors / ventilated area, no ignition sources, valve closed, isolate the truck, depressurise the line, swap the cylinder upright, check the date stamp, leak test with soap and water, reconnect, smell-check.
- To detect leaks safely — bubbles show escaping gas without using a flame.
- Periodic retest under AS/NZS 2030 — typically every 10 years for steel cylinders. Check the stamped date on the cylinder.
- CO₂ or dry chemical. Water conducts electricity — you become part of the circuit.
- Eliminate, Substitute, Isolate, Engineer, Administrative, PPE (EISEAP).
- Hazard is anything with the potential to cause harm. Risk is the likelihood and consequence of that harm occurring.
- Safe Work Method Statement — required for high-risk construction work and other site-specified high-risk activities. Lists hazards, controls and responsibilities.
- A notifiable incident is a death, serious injury/illness, or dangerous incident as defined in the WHS Act 2011 (or state equivalent). Notify your state WHS regulator (SafeWork NSW, WorkSafe VIC, Workplace Health & Safety QLD, SafeWork SA, WorkSafe WA, WorkSafe TAS, WorkSafe ACT, NT WorkSafe) immediately.
- An incident that could have caused harm but didn't. Reporting prevents the same hazard causing an injury later.
- Marked walkways, barriers, exclusion zones, traffic management plans, mirrors, flashing lights, designated crossing points.
- Condition (not broken or damaged), rated for the weight, load sitting square and stable on it.
- Stop. Lower it safely if you can. Tag the load. Report to the supervisor. Don't try to fix it on the forks.
- Travel slowly, mast slightly back, never raise high while travelling, use a drum clamp or contained pallet, accept reduced capacity for sloshing.
- Approach square, lift slowly, verify clear above and around, tilt mast vertical to lift, slow controlled lift, withdraw straight, lower before travelling.
- Tynes can't restrain a person, no protection from falls, no controls to stop the lift in an emergency.
- A compliant approved work platform secured to the carriage, guardrails, harness anchorage, controls on the platform AND at the truck, operator stays at the truck controls.
- Eye protection, gloves and apron for acid (electric), enclosed shoes, hi-vis.
- Battery charging produces hydrogen gas which is explosive in concentration. Ventilation prevents build-up.
- Stop using it. Lower forks, park, key out, tag out, report to supervisor. Don't operate until repaired and signed off.
- Pre-start checks complete and signed, any defects noted, end-of-shift faults/incidents recorded.
- High Risk Work Licence. Class LF covers forklift truck (excluding order picker, which is class LO).
- Carry the licence on you, only operate equipment within the class, follow the manufacturer's manual, comply with site SWMS, do not operate while impaired.
- Stop, lift/lower (palm up/down), turn, slow, emergency stop (closed fist).
- Longitudinal is front-to-back (load forward = tip forward). Lateral is side-to-side (turning sharply or load off-centre = tip sideways).
- When a load is on the forks, the combined CoG shifts forward and up. It must stay inside the stability triangle or the truck tips.
- Travel in reverse so you can see, or use a spotter, or break the load into smaller loads.
- Same reason — the tall load blocks forward vision. Reverse with the load to maintain visibility and stability.
- Path clear, mirrors checked, horn, look over the shoulder (not just mirrors).
- Slow to walking pace, approach square (90°), never turn on the rails, don't stop on the rails.
- Rated capacity of the leveller for the truck + load, condition (no cracks/damage), properly seated against trailer and dock.
- Check the data plate or manufacturer's manual — often expressed as a maximum gradient with and without a load. Don't exceed it.
- Wet or oily floor: stop, clean up or barricade, control the spill at source. Soft ground at a dock edge: stay back, use barriers, check load ratings.
- Park (FNBK) in designated area, complete logbook, report any defects, isolate/lock out if required.
- Remove the key, fit isolator/key control, follow site's lock-out procedure if applicable.
- Operator's manual, data plate, logbook, any modification or attachment certifications.
- Stop the truck where it is, key off, isolate, evacuate the area, prevent ignition, alert supervisor and emergency services.