Forklift Operator Competency Assessment and Certification

Course Objectives

• Understand forklift safety regulations
• Demonstrate safe pre-operation inspection
• Perform safe forklift operation in various environments
• Handle loads safely including stacking and de-stacking
• Understand maintenance responsibilities

This course is assessed to GESTA-STD-001 v1.1 — GESTA's harmonised operator-competency standard benchmarked to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.178 · ISO 3691 · ANSI B56.1. A GESTA certificate demonstrates the operator competency that discharges the employer's legal duty across 46 jurisdictions worldwide.

GESTA-STD-001 v1.1 · effective 18/7/2026 · Verified/Indicative classifications are point-in-time; verify against the current official text before formal reliance.

1. 1

   Legal framework, duties and consequences

   · 1.5 hours

   Ensure the operator understands the legal duties that apply to forklift operation and the consequences of non-compliance.

   • Explain that only a trained, assessed and competent person may operate a forklift.
   • State the employer's and the operator's respective legal duties.
   • Describe how the applicable national law requires training, certification and revalidation.
   • Explain the difference between the competency model and the statutory-licence model, and which applies on their site.
2. 2

   Forklift types, classes and major components

   · 1.5 hours

   Enable the operator to identify truck types/classes and their major components and understand how each affects safe use.

   • Identify the main forklift types (counterbalance, reach, order-picker, pallet, rough-terrain) and OSHA/ISO classes.
   • Name the major components and describe their function.
   • Explain how truck type determines the hazards and the certification scope.
3. 3

   Controls, instrumentation and pre-start

   · 1.0 hour

   Ensure the operator can locate, identify and correctly use every control and instrument before moving the truck.

   • Locate and describe the function of all controls and instruments.
   • Explain the differences between operating a forklift and driving a road vehicle.
   • Carry out a correct pre-start and safe mounting/start sequence.
4. 4

   Pre-use inspection and operator maintenance

   · 1.5 hours

   Ensure the operator can carry out and record a daily pre-use inspection and identify defects that remove a truck from service.

   • Perform a systematic daily pre-use inspection to a checklist.
   • Identify defects that make a truck unsafe and must be reported.
   • Complete and retain an inspection record and understand the withdrawal-from-use rule.
5. 5

   Stability and the stability triangle

   · 1.5 hours

   Ensure the operator understands the physics of forklift stability and how their actions cause or prevent tip-over.

   • Explain the longitudinal and lateral stability triangle and the combined centre of gravity.
   • Describe how load weight, load centre, mast tilt, speed and turning affect stability.
   • State the actions that prevent longitudinal (forward) and lateral (side) tip-over.
6. 6

   Rated capacity and load charts

   · 1.0 hour

   Enable the operator to read the data plate/load chart and confirm a load is within the truck's rated capacity.

   • Read and interpret the truck data plate and load-capacity chart.
   • Calculate whether a given load is within capacity at its load centre.
   • Explain how attachments and lift height de-rate capacity.
7. 7

   Forks, attachments and their limitations

   · 0.75 hour

   Ensure the operator understands safe selection, fitting and use of forks and attachments and their effect on the truck.

   • Inspect forks and attachments and reject defective items.
   • Describe correct fitting and the use limitations of common attachments.
   • Explain how attachments change capacity, visibility and stability.
8. 8

   Safe travelling and manoeuvring

   · 1.5 hours

   Develop safe travelling and manoeuvring practice in all site conditions.

   • Travel at a safe speed with the load trailing/leading correctly for the gradient.
   • Manoeuvre, reverse and turn safely with due regard to visibility restrictions.
   • Negotiate ramps, gradients, doorways, corners and restricted spaces safely.
9. 9

   Load handling, stacking and unstacking

   · 1.5 hours

   Develop safe load-handling, stacking and unstacking technique.

   • Approach, engage, lift, transport and place a load safely and squarely.
   • Stack and de-stack at height while maintaining stability and visibility.
   • Reject unstable, damaged or overweight loads.
10. 10

    Refuelling, battery and LPG safety

    · 0.75 hour

    Ensure safe refuelling, battery charging/changing and LPG cylinder handling.

    • Refuel or charge/change the power source safely following the correct procedure.
    • Identify the hazards of diesel, LPG and battery systems and the controls for each.
11. 11

    Workplace hazards and pedestrian safety

    · 1.5 hours

    Ensure the operator can recognise and control workplace hazards, with priority on protecting pedestrians.

    • Identify surface, traffic, aisle and environmental hazards on their site.
    • Apply pedestrian-segregation rules and give pedestrians priority.
    • Operate safely in narrow aisles and other restricted places.
12. 12

    Hazardous and special environments

    · 1.0 hour

    Ensure the operator can operate safely in classified, confined and poorly-ventilated environments, or knows when not to.

    • Recognise hazardous (classified) locations and the truck rating required.
    • Explain the carbon-monoxide/exhaust risk in closed environments and the ventilation controls.
    • State when an internal-combustion truck must not be used in a closed space.
13. 13

    Practical operation and skills (hands-on)

    · ≥ 8 hours supervised

    Consolidate all knowledge into competent, supervised hands-on operation of the actual truck class.

    • Perform pre-use inspection, mount, start and shut-down correctly, every time.
    • Travel, manoeuvre, reverse and negotiate gradients and restricted spaces safely.
    • Complete load handling, stacking and de-stacking to standard.
    • Park and secure the truck correctly on leaving (forks down, neutral, brake, key out).
14. 14

    Assessment, certification and revalidation

    · 2.0 hours

    Formally assess and certify the operator and set the revalidation cycle.

    • Pass the theory knowledge test at the required standard.
    • Pass the practical skills evaluation and workplace performance evaluation.
    • Understand the scope, validity and revalidation of their certificate.