Forklift tests should be safe, controlled and consistent. These tips should prevent you from making the most basic mistakes in your practical assessment.
- Observation
Use your power of observation all the time: plan well ahead, use mirrors, carry out good shoulder checks at junctions and over parts where you can see nothing behind. The assessors want to know that you are checking pedestrians, racking and other vehicles.
- Master the basics: The pre-use check
Don’t rush the start. Complete the pre-use check procedure you were taught (tyres, forks, hydraulics, warning lights etc., seatbelt and horn). Failing to check for something right in front of your face can fail you early on.
- Low & Stable Load
Drive with the forks down low to the ground and mast vertical. Only load up once you are at the stack/rack. Stability matters more than speed. For Forklift Training Swindon, contact https://globalflt.com/services/rtitb/fork-lift-truck-training-near-me/swindon/
- Slow down before turns
The majority of wobbles come about because people are turning too quickly. Slow down, swing wide, and stay on top of things – especially with a high mast.
- Get your positioning right
When stacking or de-stacking, please ensure to square up. Small corrections are fine. Attacking the pallet at an angle is how racking gets clipped and hit.
- Use smooth controls
Avoid jerky lifting or tilting. Ensuring the load is secure makes you look confident because of how smooth your hand-off should be.
- Ask if you’re unsure
Ask for further instructions if you are unsure. Guessing is where mistakes happen.
Quick mindset shift
Target “safe and clean” – not “fast and flawless.” A calm and calculated drive is typically what gets through.
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