Free 5-minute toolbox talkVehicles and trafficEnglish and Spanish
Forklift safety toolbox talk
A load dropped from height can crush anything below it. Operators and people on foot share the same aisles, docks and yards, so both sides need to know the rules. What OSHA requires: Before an employee operates a forklift, except for training purposes, the employer must make sure the operator has successfully completed the required training (29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(ii)).
A 5-minute forklift talk for operators and everyone who works around them. It covers who may drive, the daily check, load capacity, people on foot and parking, with the OSHA rule behind each point.
Updated October 29, 2026 · Based on 29 CFR 1910.178, 29 CFR 1926.602
Read it out loud
Free 5-minute toolbox talk
Read it out loud to your crew. It takes about 5 minutes.
Start with a question
If someone stepped out from behind a rack right now, would the forklift driver see them in time?
Why it matters
A forklift is heavy, it handles very differently from a car, and its load can block the driver's view. A load dropped from height can crush anything below it. Operators and people on foot share the same aisles, docks and yards, so both sides need to know the rules.
Key points
Only trained and evaluated operators drive
Before anyone operates a forklift on their own, the employer must make sure they have successfully completed the required training. If you have not been trained and evaluated on this type of truck, do not climb on, even to move it a few feet.
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Ask your supervisor if you are not sure whether you are authorized.
Check the truck before every shift
Forklifts must be examined before being placed in service, at least daily, and after each shift when they run around the clock. Check the forks, chains, tires, horn, lights, brakes, steering and look for leaks.
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If anything affects safety, the truck does not go into service, and the defect gets reported right away.
Know your load and your capacity
Only handle loads within the rated capacity of the truck. Read the data plate, and remember that attachments and lift height can change what the truck can safely carry. Put the forks as far under the load as you can and tilt the mast back to steady it.
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Restack loose or unstable loads before you lift, and take extra care with off-center loads that cannot be centered.
Watch for people on foot
Slow down and sound the horn at cross aisles and anywhere your view is blocked. If the load blocks your forward view, drive with the load trailing. Never let anyone stand or walk under raised forks.
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On foot, put the phone away, make eye contact with the driver before you cross, and stay out of the travel path.
No riders and no horseplay
Unauthorized people may not ride on a forklift. Where riding is authorized, a safe place to ride must be provided, and the forks or a pallet are not that place. No stunts or horseplay, ever, and keep your arms and legs inside the truck.
Park it the right way
When you leave a forklift unattended, fully lower the forks, put the controls in neutral, shut off the power and set the brakes. If it is parked on a slope, block the wheels. Do not park where it blocks fire aisles, stairways or fire equipment.
Scenario
Picture this: It is the end of a long shift and the dock is backed up. An operator picks up a tall load that blocks the view forward, then drives it nose first toward a cross aisle without slowing down. A coworker steps out from behind a rack with earbuds in, looking at a phone. Nobody hears a horn, because nobody sounded one. What should each of them have done differently?
Ask the crew
- Where are the blind corners and cross aisles in our building or yard?
- What do you do if you find a problem during the pre-shift check?
- How do you find out what a load weighs before you lift it?
- Where should people on foot walk, and how do drivers and walkers signal each other?
Takeaway
Only trained operators drive, check the truck every shift, stay within the rated capacity, and treat every blind spot as if someone is standing there.
Trainer: ______________________ Date: ____________
Credit: ToolboxKits, https://toolboxkits.com/topics/forklift-safety/ (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
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Try it
Try the quiz
Three questions from this topic. Pick an answer to see the right one and the OSHA paragraph.
Question 1 of 3
What has to happen before a new hire can run a forklift on their own?
The rule
What OSHA requires
Plain-language summary. Each line links to the exact paragraph of the regulation.
Before an employee operates a forklift, except for training purposes, the employer must make sure the operator has successfully completed the required training.
“the employer shall ensure that each operator has successfully completed the training required by this paragraph (l)”
Training must combine formal instruction, practical training and an evaluation of the operator's performance in the workplace.
“Training shall consist of a combination of formal instruction”
The employer must certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated. The certification includes the operator's name, the training date, the evaluation date and who did the training or evaluation.
“The certification shall include the name of the operator, the date of the training, the date of the evaluation, and the identity of the person(s) performing the training or evaluation.”
Each operator's performance must be evaluated at least once every three years.
“An evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator's performance shall be conducted at least once every three years.”
Trucks must be examined before being placed in service, at least daily, and after each shift when used around the clock. A truck with a condition that affects safety may not be placed in service.
“Such examination shall be made at least daily.”
Only loads within the rated capacity of the truck may be handled.
“Only loads within the rated capacity of the truck shall be handled.”
No one may stand or pass under the elevated portion of any truck, loaded or empty.
“No person shall be allowed to stand or pass under the elevated portion of any truck, whether loaded or empty.”
Drivers must slow down and sound the horn at cross aisles and other places where vision is obstructed, and travel with the load trailing if it blocks the forward view.
“slow down and sound the horn at cross aisles and other locations where vision is obstructed”
When a truck is left unattended, the forks must be fully lowered, controls neutralized, power shut off and brakes set. Wheels must be blocked if it is parked on an incline.
“Wheels shall be blocked if the truck is parked on an incline.”
On construction sites, forklift operator training requirements are the same as those in 29 CFR 1910.178(l).
“The requirements applicable to construction work under this paragraph are identical to those set forth at § 1910.178(l) of this chapter.”
Who must be trained
Every forklift (powered industrial truck) operator. Before an employee operates a truck, except for training purposes, the employer must ensure they have successfully completed the training (29 CFR 1910.178(l)(1)(ii)). Trainees may operate only under the direct supervision of people with the knowledge, training and experience to train operators and evaluate their competence, and only where it does not endanger the trainee or other employees (29 CFR 1910.178(l)(2)(i)). Construction operators fall under the same training rules (29 CFR 1926.602(d)).
When to retrain
Refresher training in relevant topics is required when the operator has been seen operating unsafely, has been in an accident or near miss, gets an evaluation showing unsafe operation, is assigned to a different type of truck, or when a workplace condition changes in a way that could affect safe operation (29 CFR 1910.178(l)(4)(ii)). Each operator's performance must also be evaluated at least once every three years (29 CFR 1910.178(l)(4)(iii)).
Common questions
Questions people ask
Is there a free forklift safety training PDF?
Yes. This forklift toolbox talk is a free printable PDF in English and Spanish, with a sign-in sheet for attendance. Use it as a refresher for operators or as an awareness talk for people who work around forklifts. It does not replace full operator training and evaluation.
Does a forklift safety talk count as operator training?
No. Forklift operator training must combine formal instruction, practical training and an evaluation of the operator's performance in the workplace. A toolbox talk is a good refresher, but it is not the whole program.
Does OSHA require a forklift written program?
The forklift standard does not spell out a written program. It does require the employer to certify that each operator has been trained and evaluated, and the certification must include the operator's name, the training date, the evaluation date and who did the training or evaluation. A short written plan for training, daily checks and traffic rules can still help keep everyone on the same page.
Is there a forklift safety training PowerPoint?
The free talk on this page is made to be read aloud from a printout, so no projector is needed. If you want slides for a longer classroom session, use the training kit option on this page. Slides only cover the formal instruction part, because under OSHA's forklift rule operators also need practical training and an evaluation in the workplace.
What should a forklift awareness toolbox talk cover for people on foot?
Cover where forklifts travel, where people should walk, and making eye contact with the driver before crossing. No one may stand or pass under the elevated portion of any truck, loaded or empty. Other good forklift safety meeting topics are blind corners, horns at cross aisles, docks and ramps, and any one of them makes a quick forklift safety moment.
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