Managing lift trucks

Key messages

  • Lift trucks are particularly dangerous in the workplace.
  • On average, lift trucks are involved in about a quarter of all workplace transport accidents.
  • Accidents involving lift trucks are often due to poor supervision and a lack of training[78].

Safe working with lift trucks

HSE has published an Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) and guidance called Rider-operated lift trucks: Operator training and safe use. Approved Code of Practice and guidance[79].

This sets the minimum standard of basic training people should receive before they are allowed to operate certain types of lift truck - even if they only operate the equipment occasionally. It also provides detailed guidance about how they can meet this standard.

The ACOP covers stacking rider-operated lift trucks, including articulated steering trucks. 'Rider-operated' means any truck that can carry an operator and includes trucks controlled from both seated and stand-on positions.

If you employ anyone to operate a lift truck covered by the ACOP, you should make sure that operators have been trained to the standards it sets out.

The ACOP also includes some sections taken from 'Safety in working with lift trucks' (now withdrawn).

Link URLs in this page

  1. Workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/index.htm
  2. Introductionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/about.htm
  3. Legislationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/legislation.htm
  4. Overview - Management responsibilitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/index.htm
  5. Risk assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/risk.htm
  6. Taking responsibilityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/responsibilities.htm
  7. Communicationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/communication.htm
  8. Co-operationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/management/cooperation.htm
  9. FAQs on workplace transporthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/faq.htm
  10. Overview - People's safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/index.htm
  11. Recruitmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/recruitment.htm
  12. Inductionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/induction.htm
  13. Initial traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/initialtraining.htm
  14. Refresher traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/refreshertraining.htm
  15. Maintaining good practicehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/goodpractice.htm
  16. Managing contractorshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/managingcontractors.htm
  17. Visiting drivershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/managingvisitors.htm
  18. Medical fitness to drivehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/medicalfitness.htm
  19. Smoking in vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/smokinginvehicles.htm
  20. Overview - Vehicle safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/index.htm
  21. Safe vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/safevehicles.htm
  22. Safe manoeuvringhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/safemanoeuvring.htm
  23. Ways to stop vehicles from movinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/waystostop.htm
  24. The right vehicle for the jobhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/rightvehicle.htm
  25. Inspection, maintenance and repairhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/inspection.htm
  26. Securing loadshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/securingloads.htm
  27. Site-based access to vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/sitebased.htm
  28. Vehicle-based access to vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/vehiclebased.htm
  29. Preventing falls from vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/preventingfalls.htm
  30. Safe siteshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/safesites.htm
  31. Safe drivershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles/safedrivers.htm
  32. Overview - Site safetyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitelayout.htm
  33. Traffic routeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/trafficroutes.htm
  34. Driving surfaceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/driving.htm
  35. Vehicles and loadshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehicles.htm
  36. Vehicle handlinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/vehiclehandling.htm
  37. Speedhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/speed.htm
  38. Traffic managementhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/trafficmanagement.htm
  39. Separating pedestrians and vehicleshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/separating.htm
  40. Signs, signals and road markingshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/signs.htm
  41. Protecting structureshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/protecting.htm
  42. Lightinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lighting.htm
  43. Parking https://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/parking.htm
  44. Loading areashttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/loading.htm
  45. Temporary workplaces and unprepared roadwayshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/temporaryworkplace.htm
  46. Site-based ways to stop vehicles from movinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitebased.htm
  47. General maintenancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/generalmaintenance.htm
  48. Overview - Lift truckshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/index.htm
  49. Managing lift truckshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/managing-lift-trucks.htm
  50. Lift-truck traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/lift-truck-training.htm
  51. Voluntary accreditation schemes for lift-truck traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/accreditation.htm
  52. Thorough examinationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/thoroughexamination.htm
  53. Frequently asked questionshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/lift-trucks/faqs.htm
  54. Overview - Inspectionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/index.htm
  55. Management and supervision of workplace transport riskhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section1.htm
  56. Site layout and internal traffic routeshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section2.htm
  57. Vehicle selection and suitabilityhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section3.htm
  58. Vehicle maintenancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section4.htm
  59. Vehicle movementshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section5.htm
  60. Un(loading) activitieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section6.htm
  61. Driver competencehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section7.htm
  62. (Un)sheetinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section8.htm
  63. Tippinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section9.htm
  64. References and useful linkshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/checklist/section10.htm
  65. Overview - Resourceshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/resources.htm
  66. Overview - Case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitesafe/index.htm
  67. Interactive case studieshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/sitesafe/interactive-case-studies.htm
  68. Overview - Publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/publications.htm
  69. Factsheets and further readinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/factsheets/index.htm
  70. Other publicationshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/otherpubs.htm
  71. Overview - Safety signshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/index.htm
  72. Banksman's signalshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/banksman/index.htm
  73. 'Not allowed' signshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/prohibitory.htm
  74. 'Danger warning' signshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/warning.htm
  75. Signs required by lawhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/safetysigns/mandatory.htm
  76. Researchhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/research.htm
  77. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/statistics.htm
  78. traininghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/personnel/initialtraining.htm
  79. Rider-operated lift trucks: Operator training and safe use. Approved Code of Practice and guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l117.htm
  80. Workplace transport safety – an overviewhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg199.htm
  81. Workplace transport safety - An employer's guide (HSG136)https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg136.htm
  82. Securing loads on HGVs and goods vehicles (Guidance - GOV.UK)https://www.gov.uk/guidance/securing-loads-on-hgvs-and-goods-vehicles
  83. Falls from vehicleshttps://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20200731110308/https://www.hse.gov.uk/fallsfromvehicles/index.htm
  84. Statisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm
  85. Science and researchhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/research/index.htm
  86. Safety bulletinhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/index.htm
  87. Agriculturehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture/index.htm
  88. Constructionhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/index.htm
  89. Logisticshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/logistics/index.htm
  90. Road safety (work related)https://www.hse.gov.uk/roadsafety/index.htm
  91. Whole Body Vibrationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/wbv/index.htm
  92. Safety bulletinhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/index.htm

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Updated 2021-05-13