Forklift operator written test

The forklift operator written test has been changed from September 1st 2017. You can see every question, along with the correct answer here. If you would like to try all of the genuine multiple choice questions from the test click here.

On all forklift operator training courses an operator written test is mandatory. Up until the year 2000 this was a multiple choice question paper but it was modified to coincide with the new practical test that was introduced in April of that year.

The practical test has also been updated. Whilst the layout of the test course is the same, some of the faults have increased penalty points and certain faults occurring more than three times lead to automatic disqualification.

Nowadays, the forklift written test consists of twenty five questions consisting of five "open" questions where the candidate has to write the answers down and a further twenty questions which are still multiple choice. These in turn consist of ten questions relating to truck operation and ten related to safety. Five of these are mandatory and must be answered correctly to avoid failure.

If a person has trouble reading or writing or if English is not their first language, the forklift operator written test may be given orally by the instructor. An accredited translator has to be provided for non English speaking candidates when the new test is being conducted. This translator may not be a course member.

A couple of sample questions are listed below.

Example of an "open" question..........

List four areas where it would not be recommended to park a fork lift truck?

Example of a multiple choice question..............

A truck is rated at 2000 kg at a load centre of 500 mm. This means:

A. That it can safely lift 2200 kg if the load centre is reduced?

B. That it can safely lift 2200 kg if the load centre is increased?

C. that it can not safely lift 2200 kg.?

There is, in fact, a pool of questions available from which instructors are expected to select the twenty five they wish to use.

Some of these are classed as operational questions and some as safety based questions. Ten of each are selected by the instructor/examiner along with five open questions.

This means that a candidate may not get the same questions as his colleague on the same course. The pass mark for this test is 80%.