Hazards, Gradients & Loading Docks

When driving a loaded counterbalance forklift on a ramp or gradient, which direction should the load normally face?

• AThe load should always face downhill so that the operator can keep watching it while descending
• BIt does not matter which way the load faces provided the mast is tilted fully forward
• CThe load should be carried sideways across the face of the slope to shorten the climb time
• DThe load should face uphill, so you drive forward up the slope and reverse down it✓

Answer: On a gradient a loaded truck should travel with the load pointing uphill, meaning you drive forwards up the ramp and reverse down it. This keeps the load secure on the forks and helps prevent it sliding off or the truck tipping forward.

How should an UNLADEN (empty) counterbalance forklift be driven on a gradient?

• AAcross the slope at an angle
• BAt maximum speed in the highest gear so that momentum carries the truck over the top
• CWith the forks kept pointing uphill at all times, whether the truck is laden or unladen
• DWith the forks pointing downhill, driving forward down and reversing up the slope✓

Answer: An unladen truck has its heavy end (the counterweight) at the rear, so it should be driven with the forks pointing downhill to keep the heavy end uphill for stability. This means driving forward down the slope and reversing up it.

Before driving a forklift into the back of a lorry or trailer at a loading dock, the operator must ensure that:

• AThe lorry engine is left running and the handbrake off
• BThe vehicle is braked and chocked or otherwise secured, and the dock plate or bridge is correctly in place✓
• CThe dock plate is balanced loosely on one edge
• DThe trailer is only held by its parking lights

Answer: A trailer must be properly braked, wheel-chocked or restrained, and the dock leveller or bridge plate securely positioned, to stop the vehicle moving away (trailer creep) as the truck drives on and off. Failure to secure it can drop the truck into the gap.

Why must forklift operators take particular care near the open edge of a loading dock or raised platform?

• AThe forks trip an automatic sensor that stops the truck before it reaches any edge
• BLoading docks are always completely flat and level, so an overturn cannot happen there
• CEdges only matter for pedestrians on foot, because trucks are too heavy to fall
• DThere is a risk of the truck driving over the edge and overturning or falling✓

Answer: An unguarded dock edge presents a serious fall hazard, as a truck driven too close can tip over the edge, causing severe injury to the operator. Edge protection, clear markings and careful manoeuvring are essential at raised docks.

What is 'trailer creep' at a loading dock?

• AThe sideways drift of a trailer's wheels on a wet or icy dock apron
• BThe gradual settling of a trailer's suspension as its load is removed
• CThe slow forward roll of a trailer whose parking brake has been left off
• DThe trailer edging away from the dock as the truck drives in and out of it✓

Answer: Each time a loaded truck drives into the trailer and brakes, it nudges the trailer forward a little. Over a full load the trailer can walk far enough from the dock to open a gap — and a truck driving across that gap goes down it. Restraints, chocks and dock locks exist for this, and the gap needs checking during the operation, not just at the start.

What must be checked about a dock leveller or bridge plate before driving over it?

• AOnly that it is free of debris, since the plate itself cannot be overloaded
• BOnly that it is roughly level with the trailer bed at the point of contact
• CThat it is rated for the truck and load, and properly seated at both ends✓
• DThat it has been repainted within the last twelve months to show its condition

Answer: A bridge plate has a rated capacity that has to cover the truck plus its load — a laden counterbalance truck is far heavier than people assume. It also has to be properly seated with adequate overlap at both ends so it cannot tip or slide as the truck crosses. Check it every time; a plate that was seated correctly an hour ago may not be now.

What should be checked about a trailer's floor before driving a lift truck into it?

• AThat the floor has been swept clean of any loose packaging materials
• BThat the floor is sound and strong enough to carry the truck and its load✓
• CThat the floor is the same height as the dock to within a few centimetres
• DNothing — trailer floors are built to take any lift truck that will fit inside

Answer: Not every trailer floor will take a laden lift truck. Rot, previous damage and lightweight construction all mean a floor can fail under a wheel, dropping the truck and potentially overturning it inside the trailer where the operator has nowhere to go. Look before you drive in, and treat an unfamiliar or visibly damaged floor as a stop.

How does a strong wind affect a lift truck working outdoors with a raised load?

• AIt has no effect, as the truck's weight far exceeds any wind loading
• BA large load acts as a sail and can push the truck towards a tip-over✓
• CIt improves stability by pressing the load down onto the forks
• DIt only matters for the operator's comfort rather than for stability

Answer: Anything with a large flat area — sheet material, packaging, empty pallets, stacked boxes — catches the wind, and at height that force acts through a long lever arm on a truck whose centre of gravity is already raised. Keep loads low, avoid handling large flat items in strong wind, and be ready to stop the operation rather than fight it.

How should a lift truck be driven on ice or packed snow?

• ASlowly and smoothly, with the surface gritted or cleared wherever possible✓
• BAt normal speed, using the load's weight to press the tyres into the surface
• CIn as high a gear as possible, to reduce the torque going to the wheels
• DOnly in reverse, because the steered wheels give better grip on ice

Answer: Ice removes grip from both braking and steering, and a lift truck has a short wheelbase and a high centre of gravity to begin with. Slow, smooth and gentle is the only way to drive on it, and the real control is dealing with the surface — gritting, clearing, or stopping outdoor operations until it is safe.

What particular hazards arise when operating a lift truck in a cold store?

• AIncreased hydrogen production from the truck's battery during operation
• BIcy floors, poor visibility from condensation, and cold affecting the operator✓
• CThe load becoming lighter as its moisture content freezes and expands
• DThe stability triangle shrinking as the tyres contract in the low temperature

Answer: Cold stores combine several problems: ice forming on floors, condensation fogging vision as the truck moves between temperatures, restricted visibility from clothing, and the effect of cold on the operator's concentration and dexterity. Trucks used in cold stores may need to be specified for it, and operators need appropriate clothing and time limits.

What must be considered when operating a lift truck outdoors near overhead power lines?

• AOnly the width of the truck, since the lines run above the travel route
• BOnly the height of the load, as the mast itself is earthed through the tyres
• CNothing, provided the truck never actually touches the overhead lines
• DThe mast's full extended height, keeping well clear of the lines at all times✓

Answer: A raised mast reaches far higher than people judge from the seat, and electricity can arc across a gap without contact being made — so "we didn't touch it" is not a safe margin. Establish the safe clearance, use goal posts and barriers to keep the truck away, and plan routes that avoid working under lines with the mast raised at all.

Why is a standard warehouse lift truck unsuitable for use on soft or uneven ground?

• AIts hydraulic system is not designed to operate in outdoor temperatures
• BIts small solid tyres and low clearance make it liable to bog down and tip✓
• CIts data plate capacity applies only inside a building
• DIts overhead guard offers no protection when working outdoors

Answer: Warehouse trucks are built for flat, hard, level floors — small solid or cushion tyres, low ground clearance, no suspension. On soft or rutted ground they sink, ground out and become unstable, and the risk of overturn rises sharply. Rough-terrain trucks exist for exactly this, with large pneumatic tyres and greater clearance.