📚 Guide by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety — The Stand Up Forklift is an online workplace safety course delivered by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety, Calgary’s Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider. Self-paced, mobile-friendly, same-day certificate upon exam completion. Available across Canada.
🔗 Related Safety Mom courses & guides: Fall Protection Calgary · H2S Alive Calgary · Oil Sands Safety Certs · Instructor: Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC
STAND UP FORKLIFT COURSE OVERVIEW
Among material handling equipment none are as important as the forklift. They are found in most industries that require transferring loads from delivery trucks to warehouses and worksites.
This course covers the safe operation of powered industrial trucks, also known as fork trucks, lift forks or forklifts. The information provided will increase your knowledge and make you a better operator.
During this course, you will learn:
- the different types of forklifts and their anatomy
- why it’s important to conduct a thorough pre-shift inspection each day
- forklift stability and the importance of knowing the machine’s capacity
- safe operating and load handling principles
- battery care of electric lifts including proper procedures for chargins and changing industrial batteries
- the six most common hazards associated with forklift operation
STAND UP FORKLIFT COURSE TOPICS
- Introduction
- Anatomy
- Stability & Capacity
- Hazards
- Operations
STAND UP FORKLIFT COURSE DURATION: Approximately 1.5 hours
STAND UP FORKLIFT COURSE ASSESSMENT: Testing conducted throughout this online course is designed to reinforce the information presented. A mark of 80% must be achieved in order to receive a certificate of completion. Participants are able to repeat the course twice if the pass mark is not achieved.
STAND UP FORKLIFT COURSE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION: Upon successful completion of this online course, a certificate of completion will be available for download and printing.
STAND-UP FORKLIFT ONLINE COURSE PREVIEW
Additional Safety Knowledge
Crane Operator Qualifications in Alberta
Alberta OHS Code Part 21 requires crane operators to be competent, and for mobile cranes with a rated capacity over 5 tonnes, the operator must hold an Alberta Journeyperson or Provisional Journeyperson Crane and Hoisting Equipment Operator certificate. Boom trucks, tower cranes, and overhead cranes each have specific certification pathways. Employers must verify operator credentials before work assignment.
Load Charts and Capacity Planning
Every lift must be planned using the manufacturer’s load chart specific to the crane configuration in use. Key variables that reduce lifting capacity include:
- Boom length and angle
- Load radius (horizontal distance from centre of rotation to load)
- Counterweight configuration
- Ground conditions and outrigger extension
- Wind speed — most cranes require shutdown at 32–40 km/h sustained wind
Operators must never exceed the load chart rating for the specific configuration and radius in use. A load exceeding chart capacity by even 10% can cause tipping or structural failure.
Rigging and Signal Person Requirements
Riggers must select slings rated for the load weight with an appropriate safety factor (typically 5:1 for synthetic slings). Wire rope slings, chain slings, and synthetic web slings each have distinct inspection criteria and rejection standards. A certified signal person is required whenever the operator’s view of the load is obstructed or when directed by the site safety plan. Standard hand signals must be used unless voice communication is established and verified.
Stand Up Forklift — Ground Conditions
The most common cause of crane tipping is soft or unstable ground under outriggers. Ground bearing capacity must be verified before setup. Timber pads or steel plates are required to distribute point loads. Slope, buried utilities, and proximity to excavations all affect ground stability. A daily pre-shift inspection of the setup is required in Alberta.
Content reviewed by Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC — lead safety instructor at Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety Calgary, an Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider.
