Facts & Figures

The forklift is a powered truck fitted with steel forks on its front end, used to lift and transport material. The two parallel steel forks slide beneath the material, often loaded onto a wooden pallet or skid, and then hoisted. Most are fitted with small wheels and are really only practical on finished or paved surfaces. Some forklifts carry their cargo on one side of the vehicle; these are called sideloaders. Though small by comparison to most heavy equipment vehicles, it has become indispensible for the warehousing and manufacturing sectors. Major manufacturers of forklifts (by market share) include Toyota, KION Group, Jungheinrich, NAACO Industries, Inc. (which includes Yale and Hyster brands), Komatsu, Manitou, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Caterpillar, Clark, and Crown Equipment, though many more brands are available among used forklifts. (Over the years, many other brands such as Allis-Chalmers have either gone out of business or been assumed into larger companies through acquisitions.)

Forklifts are organized by class. Forklifts range in size and capability from small, hand powered pallet jacks, designed only to give ground clearance and move the pallet from one area of floor, all the way to diesel-powered driver-operated models of enormous size, used for moving raw logs and capable of loads up to 50 tonnes. Most common are those in the middle, either electric-rechargeable or propane-powered models approximately 6-10 feet (2-3 meters) in length, with forks on a sliding hydraulic mast of cylinders or rails, and capable of loads between one and five tonnes.

Forklift operators must be well trained to operate the machine safely and effectively. Because most models steer from the rear, manouevering quickly can take some getting used to. Additionally, moving with a load held high upon the forks can upset the forklift's low center of gravity, and risk tipping. To keep the forklift balanced, some machines have a counterweight at the back, though in most cases it is the actual engine or battery that acts as the rear weight. Most forklifts have an overhead guard above the cab to protect the operator from falling debris. The exception would be those motorized pallet jacks upon which the operator stands.