UK CPCS Forklift Theory Exam study plan
UK CPCS Forklift Theory Exam · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Health, safety and environmental legislation and regulations
List the key UK health and safety legislation that applies to forklift operations and state the duty each places on the operator
Explain the employer and employee duties under the main safety regulations in your own words
Identify which regulations trigger a pre-use inspection, a reportable incident, or a mandatory training requirement
Define the environmental responsibilities of a forklift operator, including fuel, battery and spill handling
Your checkpoint
A one-page legislation-to-duty summary sheet covering at least six regulations, self-tested to 90% recall
Health, safety and environmental legislation and regulations & Incidents, emergencies and accident reporting
Match regulatory duties to realistic site scenarios and decide the correct operator action
Describe the reporting chain and documentation required for a near miss, a damage-only incident and an injury
Explain when an incident becomes legally reportable and who must be informed
Outline first-response actions for a battery acid spill and a fuel leak
Your checkpoint
Ten scenario-based written answers on legislation and incident reporting, each justified by the relevant duty
Forklift truck types, components, controls and pre-use checks
Label the main components of a counterbalance truck and state the function of each
Explain the purpose of each control and the correct sequence for starting and shutting down the truck
Describe how to carry out a pre-use inspection in the correct order and what constitutes a defect that must be reported
Distinguish between a defect that grounds the truck and one that can be logged for later repair
Your checkpoint
A completed pre-use inspection checklist with each item explained in writing and three example defects classified as grounding or non-grounding
Forklift truck types, components, controls and pre-use checks & Load handling, stability, lifting capacities and attachments
Explain how the stability triangle and combined centre of gravity govern truck stability
State the factors that reduce safe lifting capacity and how to read a capacity plate
Calculate whether a given load at a given load centre and lift height is within capacity
Describe how attachments change rated capacity and the derating that follows
Your checkpoint
Eight capacity and stability calculation problems solved with workings shown, scoring at least 80%
Load handling, stability, lifting capacities and attachments
Sequence the correct steps for approaching, lifting, travelling with and placing a load
Explain load integrity checks and how to identify an unsafe or unstable load before lifting
Describe safe practice for picking up and setting down loads at height and on racking
Explain the hazards of travelling with a raised load and the correct travel position
Your checkpoint
A written step-by-step load-handling procedure for three different load types, cross-checked against stability principles
Manoeuvring, travelling, parking and site traffic management
Describe the correct travel, steering and braking technique on level ground, slopes and confined areas
Explain pedestrian segregation, site traffic rules and the meaning of common site signage
State the safe procedure for parking and leaving a truck unattended, including on a slope
Identify blind spots and explain how to manage them when reversing or turning
Your checkpoint
A site traffic and manoeuvring rules summary plus a written parking and shutdown procedure tested to full recall
Operator responsibilities, site rules and safe systems of work & Incidents, emergencies and accident reporting
Summarise operator responsibilities, fitness-to-operate requirements and the limits of authorised use
Explain what a safe system of work for forklift operations must contain and why it exists
Describe emergency procedures for fire, tip-over, load collapse and pedestrian collision
State the operator's duties after an accident, including scene safety and evidence preservation
Your checkpoint
A one-page emergency action card covering four emergency types, plus a written explanation of a safe system of work
Health, safety and environmental legislation and regulations & Operator responsibilities, site rules and safe systems of work & Forklift truck types, components, controls and pre-use checks & Load handling, stability, lifting capacities and attachments & Manoeuvring, travelling, parking and site traffic management & Incidents, emergencies and accident reporting
Revise all six domains using spaced repetition, prioritising any domain scoring below 80%
Complete two full timed mock papers under exam conditions
Review every incorrect answer and write the correct reasoning for each
Confirm readiness by re-testing weak areas until each reaches at least 85%
Your checkpoint
Two completed mock papers with a written error log and a final per-domain score sheet showing every domain at 85% or above
Milestones
Week 2: Score at least 80% on a self-made 20-question legislation and incident-reporting quiz
Week 4: Solve all capacity and stability calculations correctly, with no more than one error across eight problems
Week 6: Recite the parking and shutdown procedure and the pre-use inspection sequence from memory without prompts
Week 8: Achieve 85% or above in every domain on the final mock paper before booking the exam