Operator Responsibilities
What being 'authorised' means
An operator's responsibilities begin before the engine starts. You must be trained and authorised for the specific truck type, physically fit (including eyesight and any medication effects), and familiar with the site. You are responsible for: carrying out pre-use checks and recording defects; not operating a truck you know to be defective; following site rules and safe systems of work; wearing the required PPE (often high-visibility clothing and safety footwear, sometimes a hard hat); never carrying passengers unless a designated seat is provided; never allowing unauthorised people to drive; and reporting all defects and incidents promptly.
Behaviour and fitness
Questions probe the operator's duty to refuse to operate in unsafe conditions - poor lighting, an unsafe load, an unsecured area, or when fatigued or under the influence of drugs or alcohol. You also have a duty to challenge unsafe behaviour politely and report it, and to keep the truck and work area tidy.
Traps
The common traps are: assuming the supervisor's instruction overrides a safety concern (it does not - you must not operate an unsafe truck); assuming a defect only needs reporting at the end of the shift (serious defects require immediate withdrawal from service); and assuming PPE is optional for short jobs. Another trap is confusing training with authorisation - training alone does not permit you to operate; authorisation is required.
Rule of thumb
"If in doubt, stop and report." A defect that affects safe operation means the truck is taken out of service and tagged, not driven 'carefully' to the end of the shift.
Worked example
A question describes an operator noticing a damaged overhead guard at the start of a shift. Correct answer: do not use the truck, isolate/tag it, and report the defect to the responsible person immediately.