Craftsman Forklift Operator study plan
Craftsman Forklift Operator · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Safety Regulations, Standards, and Operator Responsibilities & Load Handling, Stability, and Capacity
Define the operator's legal duties and the employer's training and evaluation obligations in your jurisdiction, and list five consequences of operating without authorization.
Identify the stability triangle, center of gravity, and combined center of gravity, and explain in writing why each matters when lifting a load.
Calculate load moment for three sample loads and determine whether each falls inside or outside the rated capacity shown on a sample data plate.
Memorize the capacity, load center, and vertical mast restrictions printed on a data plate, and recite them without notes.
Build a one-page glossary of at least 20 safety and capacity terms you will use all exam long.
Your checkpoint
A written capacity worksheet showing load-moment calculations for five scenarios, each marked safe or unsafe with a one-sentence justification.
Forklift Types, Components, and Pre-Operation Inspection & Safety Regulations, Standards, and Operator Responsibilities
Label the major assemblies of a counterbalanced forklift (mast, carriage, forks, overhead guard, counterweight, hydraulic system) on a hand-drawn diagram.
Distinguish at least six forklift classes and match each to a typical workplace use.
Write a 15-item pre-operation inspection checklist covering tires, forks, chains, mast, hydraulics, brakes, horn, lights, seat belt, and data plate.
Demonstrate the inspection sequence aloud in under 10 minutes, verbalizing what a pass and a fail look like for each item.
Explain the purpose of the overhead guard and load backrest in terms of operator protection and load retention.
Your checkpoint
A completed 15-item pre-operation inspection checklist with pass/fail criteria written for each item and a note on what to do when an item fails.
Load Handling, Stability, and Capacity & Operating Procedures and Maneuvering in the Workplace
Apply the stability pyramid to four lifting, lowering, tilting, and traveling situations, and state which axis is threatened in each.
Practice the four-point pickup and set-down sequence (approach, square up, lift, tilt back, lower, tilt forward, withdraw) and describe each step in writing.
Explain why traveling with a raised load, a forward-tilted load, or a side-shifted load reduces stability.
Describe the safe procedure for traveling on ramps and inclines, including load orientation and direction of travel.
Solve five practice problems converting load center distances and derating capacity for attachments.
Your checkpoint
A narrated step-by-step procedure card for picking up, transporting, and setting down a load, cross-referenced to the stability principles it protects.
Operating Procedures and Maneuvering in the Workplace & Pedestrian Safety, Traffic Management, and Site Awareness
Describe the correct travel posture, fork height, and speed for open floor, aisle, dock, and ramp conditions.
Explain the mechanics and hazards of a tip-over and the correct operator response, including seat belt use and bracing.
List the blind spots of a counterbalanced forklift and describe how to compensate for each before moving.
Draft a pedestrian interaction protocol covering eye contact, horn use at intersections, right of way, and exclusion zones.
Identify five traffic-management controls (marked walkways, mirrors, stop signs, barriers, speed limits) and explain what each prevents.
Your checkpoint
A one-page site traffic and pedestrian safety brief that names at least eight controls and the specific hazard each one mitigates.
Pedestrian Safety, Traffic Management, and Site Awareness & Hazard Identification, Incident Response, and Accident Prevention
Perform a job hazard analysis on a described warehouse layout, listing at least 10 hazards with a control for each.
Rank hazards by likelihood and severity and justify the ranking in two sentences per hazard.
Outline the immediate response to a tip-over, a struck pedestrian, a dropped load, and a hydraulic failure.
Explain reporting obligations after an incident, including what to document and who to notify.
Describe the conditions that require stopping work immediately and how to communicate a stop-work decision.
Your checkpoint
A completed job hazard analysis for a sample warehouse with 10 hazards, ranked risks, and a control for each.
Maintenance, Refueling/Recharging, and Equipment Care & Forklift Types, Components, and Pre-Operation Inspection
Distinguish the daily operator check from scheduled maintenance and state which tasks the operator must never attempt.
Describe safe refueling of LP gas and diesel units and safe battery changing and charging for electric units, including PPE and ventilation requirements.
Explain the hazards of hydrogen gas during charging and of LP gas leaks, and state the response to each.
List the fluid, tire, chain, and brake checks an operator performs and the warning signs that require taking a unit out of service.
Write a handover note that flags a defect found at end of shift.
Your checkpoint
A written end-of-shift handover report for a forklift with two identified defects, including the out-of-service decision and the maintenance request.
Practical Operating Skills Assessment & Load Handling, Stability, and Capacity
Rehearse the full practical sequence (inspection, mount, start, pick up, travel, maneuver, set down, park) and self-score against a checklist.
Practice precision maneuvers: 90-degree turns, aisle entry, docking, and stacking at height, describing the sight lines and reference points used.
Re-solve 10 mixed capacity and stability problems under time pressure to build exam speed.
Review every missed practice question from weeks 1 through 6 and write a corrected explanation for each.
Explain correct parking and shutdown procedure, including fork position, mast tilt, brake set, and key removal.
Your checkpoint
A self-scored practical skills checklist covering 20 steps, with a written correction for every step scored below proficient.
Safety Regulations, Standards, and Operator Responsibilities & Operating Procedures and Maneuvering in the Workplace & Hazard Identification, Incident Response, and Accident Prevention
Take two full-length timed practice exams and record the score by domain.
Re-study the two weakest domains using your own notes and glossary, not new material.
Recite the pre-operation inspection checklist, the parking procedure, and the tip-over response from memory.
Build a one-page final review sheet of the 25 facts you are most likely to forget.
Confirm practical assessment logistics, required PPE, and site rules before test day.
Your checkpoint
Two timed practice exam score reports by domain plus a one-page final review sheet of 25 key facts.
Milestones
Week 2: Recite the 15-item pre-operation inspection checklist from memory with pass/fail criteria and score at least 13 of 15.
Week 4: Score at least 80% on a self-made 20-question quiz covering safety regulations, components, capacity, and maneuvering.
Week 6: Complete a job hazard analysis and an end-of-shift handover report that a supervisor would accept without correction.
Week 8: Score at least 85% on two timed full-length practice exams and show improvement in the two weakest domains.