Product Overview

Summary: This Forklift Licence and Training Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, defensible framework for assessing, training, and authorising forklift operators in line with Australian WHS requirements. It helps businesses systematically manage high-risk work licensing, reduce incidents involving powered industrial trucks, and demonstrate due diligence to regulators, clients, and insurers.

Forklifts are one of the most common causes of serious injury and fatality in Australian workplaces, particularly in warehousing, transport, construction and manufacturing environments. This Forklift Licence and Training SOP provides a structured, repeatable method for managing the full lifecycle of forklift competency: from initial licence verification and formal training, through to on-the-job assessment, refresher training and ongoing supervision. It is designed to integrate with your existing WHS management system, ensuring that only competent, authorised operators are permitted to use forklifts on site.

The procedure addresses the practical realities of Australian workplaces, including high staff turnover, labour hire arrangements, multi-lingual workforces and the need to demonstrate compliance during regulator inspections or client audits. By implementing this SOP, your business can standardise how forklift training is delivered and documented across all sites, reduce reliance on informal “buddy” systems, and close gaps in supervision that often lead to near misses and serious incidents. The result is a safer workplace, stronger legal protection for officers and PCBUs, and a clear training pathway for workers seeking to gain or maintain a high-risk work forklift licence.

Key Benefits

• Ensure only properly licensed and verified operators are permitted to use forklifts on site.
• Reduce forklift-related incidents involving pedestrians, loads, racking and plant through structured competency development.
• Demonstrate compliance with Australian WHS legislation and high risk work licensing requirements during audits and investigations.
• Standardise forklift induction, refresher training and supervision practices across multiple sites and labour hire arrangements.
• Improve recordkeeping and traceability of licences, training outcomes and competency assessments for all forklift operators.

Who is this for?

• WHS Managers
• Operations Managers
• Warehouse and Logistics Managers
• Site Supervisors
• Training and Compliance Coordinators
• HR Managers
• Forklift Operators
• Safety Representatives
• Construction Project Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Collision between forklifts and pedestrians in shared work areas
• Forklift overturning due to incorrect loading or unsafe operation
• Falling loads caused by poor stacking, overloading or incorrect mast use
• Crush injuries between forklifts, racking, vehicles or fixed structures
• Struck-by incidents in loading docks, driveways and traffic management zones
• Property and infrastructure damage leading to secondary hazards (e.g. damaged racking, ruptured services)
• Fatigue- and distraction-related errors during forklift operation
• Use of forklifts by unlicensed, untrained or unsupervised personnel

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions (High Risk Work, LF and LO licences, Competent Person)
• 3.0 Legal and Other Requirements
• 4.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, Officers, Supervisors, Operators, Labour Hire Providers)
• 5.0 Forklift Licence Verification and Validation Process
• 6.0 Induction and Site-Specific Training Requirements
• 7.0 Formal Training and Assessment Pathway for New Operators
• 8.0 On-the-Job Supervision and Competency Sign-Off
• 9.0 Refresher Training and Reassessment Intervals
• 10.0 Management of Unlicensed, Trainee and Labour Hire Operators
• 11.0 Training Content Requirements (Key Topics and Practical Skills)
• 12.0 Recordkeeping, Licence Registers and Document Control
• 13.0 Integration with Traffic Management and Pedestrian Safety Procedures
• 14.0 Non-Conformance, Suspension of Authority to Operate and Corrective Actions
• 15.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement of the Training Program
• 16.0 References, Forms and Supporting Documents (Checklists, Assessment Tools, Registers)

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth and relevant state/territory variants)
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 – High Risk Work Licensing requirements
• Safe Work Australia – General Guide for Industrial Lift Trucks (Forklifts)
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing Risks of Plant in the Workplace
• AS 2359 series: Powered industrial trucks
• AS/NZS ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use