Forklift Risk Assessment for Australian Workplaces

A forklift risk assessment is a structured evaluation of the hazards and risks associated with the operation of forklift trucks — including counterbalanced forklifts, reach trucks, order pickers, pallet jacks, and other powered industrial trucks — in warehouses, manufacturing facilities, distribution centres, retail back-of-house areas, construction sites, and other workplaces where forklifts are used to move and stack loads.

Forklifts are involved in approximately 3,000 workers' compensation claims each year in Australia and are responsible for a significant number of workplace fatalities. The principal incident mechanisms are: pedestrians struck or run over by forklifts; loads falling from elevated forks onto workers below; forklifts overturning (particularly on slopes or when carrying elevated loads); workers caught between the forklift and a fixed structure; and workers falling from elevated platforms or the forks of a forklift being used as an improvised work platform.

Many of these incidents are preventable. They occur in workplaces that have not conducted a forklift risk assessment, that allow pedestrians and forklifts to share the same travel paths without physical separation, that operate without a rigorous pre-start check system, or that use forklifts for tasks outside their rated purpose — particularly for elevated personnel access. A well-structured forklift risk assessment, implemented through physical separation, traffic management, and operator training, is one of the most effective investments a logistics, manufacturing, or retail distribution business can make.

The WHS Regulation 2025 requires the risks of forklift operations to be managed, and a high-risk work licence for anyone operating a forklift truck. There is no capacity threshold: the only exclusions are pedestrian-operated trucks and pallet trucks. The risk assessment must address both the risks associated with operating the forklift and the interaction between the forklift and pedestrians, vehicles, structures, and the facility layout — factors that are unique to each workplace and that require a site-specific assessment rather than a generic document.

Forklift operations in Australian workplaces are regulated through a combination of general WHS obligations, plant-specific requirements, and high-risk work licensing requirements.

WHS Regulation 2025 — Plant management. Forklifts are 'plant' under the WHS Regulation, and PCBUs who manage or control plant at a workplace must ensure that the plant is designed, manufactured, supplied, and installed correctly; that it is registered where required; that it is inspected and maintained in accordance with the manufacturer's requirements; and that workers operating the plant are competent. For forklift trucks, the Regulation imposes an additional requirement that the operator holds a high-risk work licence – whatever the rated capacity of the truck.

High-risk work licence — forklift truck. The WHS Regulation requires persons operating a forklift truck – a powered industrial truck with a mast and an elevating load carriage carrying fork arms or other attachments, other than a pedestrian-operated truck or a pallet truck – to hold a high-risk work licence in the Forklift Truck (LF) class, or the Order-Picking Forklift Truck (LO) class for order pickers, issued by the relevant state WHS authority. The licence is obtained by completing an accredited training course, demonstrating competency in a written assessment and practical operating assessment, and submitting an application to the regulator. The risk assessment must verify that all forklift operators hold a current LF licence and that the licence class is appropriate for the specific forklift type being operated — for example, an LF licence covers standard counterbalanced forklifts; reach trucks and order pickers may require additional operator training beyond the basic LF licence.

Plant registration. Forklifts with a capacity exceeding certain thresholds in some states must be registered as plant on the relevant state WHS authority's plant register. The risk assessment should confirm whether the forklifts used at the workplace are subject to registration and whether registration is current.

Traffic management and pedestrian separation. The Managing the Risks of Plant in the Workplace Code of Practice (Safe Work Australia) emphasises that the most effective control for pedestrian safety in forklift operating areas is physical separation — bollards, barriers, and traffic management systems that prevent pedestrians from entering forklift travel paths. The risk assessment must evaluate the adequacy of pedestrian separation at the workplace and specify improvements where the current arrangements are inadequate.

Pre-start inspections. The Regulation and the code of practice require that forklifts be inspected before each shift using a documented pre-start check procedure. The pre-start check covers: tyres, forks, mast, overhead guard, seatbelt, brakes, steering, horn, lights, and load capacity indicator. A forklift with defects identified on the pre-start check must be taken out of service until the defects are repaired.

A comprehensive forklift risk assessment must address all relevant hazard categories. Five principal categories account for the majority of forklift incidents in Australian workplaces.

Pedestrian-forklift interaction. The most deadly forklift hazard is the collision between an operating forklift and a pedestrian — whether a worker, contractor, or member of the public. Pedestrians are frequently struck in areas where forklift travel paths cross pedestrian walkways, at corners with limited visibility, in loading dock areas with multiple forklift and pedestrian movements, and in situations where forklift operators reverse without adequate warning or visibility. The assessment must map every point of pedestrian-forklift interaction in the facility and specify controls — physical barriers, crossing points with active warning systems, high-visibility flooring markings, convex mirrors at blind corners — for each.

Load instability. Unsecured, unstable, or overloaded loads can fall from the forks or from elevated storage positions, causing serious or fatal injuries to workers below. The assessment must evaluate the load types handled, the maximum load heights, the stability of the stacking arrangements, and the adequacy of racking and shelving systems. Overloaded forklifts — loads exceeding the rated capacity at the relevant load centre — are inherently unstable and can overturn or cause mast and fork failure.

Forklift instability and overturning. Forklifts have a narrow stability triangle — the area within which the combined centre of gravity of the machine and load must remain for the machine to remain stable. The stability triangle is easily compromised by: turning with an elevated load; operating on a slope; striking a bump or pothole with a load elevated; or operating with uneven load distribution. Forklift overturns can trap and fatally injure the operator if they leave the cab during the overturn. The risk assessment must identify the slopes, surface conditions, and load handling practices that could compromise stability.

Crush and entrapment. Workers can be caught between a forklift and a wall, rack, or other fixed structure, particularly when the forklift is reversing in a congested area. The assessment must evaluate the aisle widths, the turning clearances, and the visibility conditions in the areas where forklifts operate to identify locations where crush and entrapment risk is elevated.

Improvised elevated work. Workers or supervisors who use forklift forks or the forklift's lifting mechanism as an improvised elevated access platform — without an approved safety cage that is rated for personnel and mechanically secured to the forks — are exposed to a serious fall risk. The assessment must establish and document a clear prohibition on using forklifts for elevated access without an approved and securely fitted personnel cage.

A forklift traffic management plan (TMP) is a documented system that regulates the movement of forklifts, vehicles, and pedestrians in the workplace. For workplaces with regular forklift operations, a TMP is the primary mechanism for managing pedestrian-forklift interaction and is required by the code of practice and by many principal contractor and client safety management systems.

Traffic flow mapping. The TMP begins with a site plan showing the facility layout — storage areas, aisles, loading docks, charging areas, pedestrian entry points, and exits — annotated with forklift travel routes, pedestrian walkways, and the locations of each pedestrian-forklift interaction point. The map identifies the highest-risk interaction points and forms the basis for specifying controls.

Physical separation. The most effective pedestrian protection in a forklift operating area is physical separation — a physical barrier that prevents pedestrians from entering the forklift travel path. Options include: dedicated pedestrian walkways protected by bollards, barriers, and guardrails; elevated pedestrian catwalks over forklift aisles; automatic pedestrian gates that require the forklift to stop before the gate opens; and designated forklift-free pedestrian areas.

Speed limits. The TMP must specify maximum forklift travel speeds for each area of the facility. Recommended speed limits are: 10 km/h in areas with pedestrian access; 5 km/h in areas with active pedestrian movement and at pedestrian crossings; and walking pace in reversing and congested areas. Speed limit signs must be visible to forklift operators from their operating position.

Lighting and visibility. Forklift operating areas must be adequately lit for the operator to see pedestrians and obstructions. The TMP must specify the minimum illumination level (typically 150–200 lux in operating areas) and the maintenance of lighting systems. Convex mirrors must be installed at blind corners and at intersections between forklift aisles and pedestrian walkways.

Reversing alarm and visual warning systems. Forklifts must be equipped with an audible reversing alarm. Where the operating environment has high ambient noise levels that may render the audible alarm ineffective, a visual warning (flashing strobe light) is required. Proximity warning systems — radar or ultrasonic systems that detect pedestrians within a defined distance of the machine and provide both operator and pedestrian warnings — are increasingly used in high-pedestrian-density environments as a supplement to physical separation.

A forklift risk assessment must address operator training and competency as a key control. Even with physical separation and traffic management systems in place, the quality of operator training has a direct impact on forklift safety outcomes — particularly in the management of load stability, the safe approach to pedestrians and structures, and the response to developing hazard situations.

High-risk work licence (LF class). Operators of forklift trucks must hold an LF high-risk work licence (LO for order-picking forklift trucks), regardless of the truck's rated capacity. The licence is obtained through an accredited training provider who delivers both theoretical and practical training. The training covers: types of forklifts and their components; load handling calculations; stability principles; pre-start inspection; safe operating procedures; and emergency procedures. Licence renewal is required every five years.

Site-specific induction. In addition to the high-risk work licence, every forklift operator who is new to a specific facility must receive a site-specific induction that covers: the site TMP and speed limits; specific hazards at the facility (blind spots, uneven surfaces, pedestrian crossing points); the loading dock procedures; the charging area procedures; and the emergency procedures. The site induction must be documented and the operator's understanding verified before they commence independent operation.

Refresher training. The risk assessment should specify a refresher training schedule for forklift operators — typically every three to five years, or sooner if an operator is involved in an incident or near-miss or if their operating performance is identified as inadequate through supervisory observation.

Documented competency assessment. The PCBU should maintain a record of each operator's licence, induction, and refresher training, and should conduct periodic on-machine competency assessments. A documented competency record is evidence that the PCBU exercised due diligence in verifying operator competence before authorising operation.

Our forklift risk assessment is $150 AUD and downloads immediately after purchase as a fully editable Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) workbook. There is an edition for every state and territory, each citing that jurisdiction's Act, Regulation, regulator and plant Code of Practice. See the forklift risk assessment.

What is in the workbook: It covers counterbalance, reach and order-picking forklift trucks. Hazards are pre-filled and scored before and after controls on a 5×5 likelihood and consequence matrix. Every control is classified against the hierarchy of controls. The workbook records consultation with workers, the so-far-as-is-reasonably-practicable outcome and a competent-person sign-off. Yellow input cells mark the site, plant and personnel details you complete.

What it is not: it is a generic starting point, not a finished assessment of your site. A competent person must customise and verify it in consultation with the workers who do the job. It does not replace a Safe Work Method Statement where the work is high risk construction work, a traffic management plan, or the daily pre-start inspection in the manufacturer's manual.

If you want a second pair of eyes on an assessment you have completed, a Certified Industrial Hygienist can review it remotely at $250 AUD per hour, quoted per project – see Desktop Auditing.

Documents are revised when the WHS Regulation or the relevant Code of Practice changes.

Do I need a licence to operate a forklift in Australia? Yes. To operate a forklift truck you must hold a high-risk work licence (Forklift Truck — LF class, or LO for order-picking forklift trucks) issued by the relevant state WHS authority. The requirement does not depend on the truck's rated capacity. Pedestrian-operated trucks and pallet trucks do not require a high-risk work licence, but operators must still be trained and assessed as competent by the PCBU. The LF licence is valid for five years and must be renewed through re-assessment.

Is a risk assessment required if I already have a traffic management plan? Yes. A traffic management plan addresses the movement of forklifts and pedestrians within the facility but does not address all the hazards associated with forklift operations — load instability, machine stability, pre-start inspection, operator competency, and emergency procedures. A risk assessment is required to identify and document controls for all forklift hazards; the TMP is one of those controls.

Can I use a forklift to raise a person to work at height? Only using an approved personnel cage that is designed and rated for personnel lifting, mechanically secured to the forklift's carriage, and fitted with a safety harness anchor. A worker standing on the forks or on a pallet placed on the forks without a rated personnel cage is exposed to an extreme fall risk and the practice is prohibited under the WHS Act. The risk assessment must explicitly prohibit the use of forklifts for elevated access without a rated and securely fitted personnel cage.

How often should the pre-start check be completed? Before each shift or before each change of operator during a shift. The pre-start check must be completed and any defects recorded before the forklift is operated. A forklift with defects that affect safety — tyre damage, brake failure, fork cracks, mast damage, seatbelt failure — must be taken out of service and repaired before returning to operation. The pre-start check records must be retained as evidence of the PCBU's maintenance and inspection obligations.

What is the maximum speed for a forklift in a warehouse? There is no single national speed limit for forklifts in warehouses. The maximum safe speed depends on the facility layout, the pedestrian density, the forklift type, and the load being carried. Best practice guidance specifies a maximum of 10 km/h in areas with pedestrian access, 5 km/h near pedestrian crossings and in congested areas, and walking pace (about 4–5 km/h) when reversing. These limits should be specified in the site's traffic management plan and marked with speed limit signs visible to operators.