Reach Truck Training School

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Reach Truck Training Modules — What You Master in 5 Days

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Day 1 Theory Programme

• Reach truck types and classifications: Overview of material handling equipment — distinguishing reach trucks from counterbalance forklifts, order pickers, pallet jacks and VNA trucks. Reach truck sub-types: single-reach, double-reach, stand-on and sit-down configurations. Applications in FMCG warehouses, retail DCs, pharmaceutical stores, cold storage and manufacturing warehouses
• Reach truck components and systems: Detailed walkthrough of reach truck anatomy — chassis and frame, overhead guard, operator compartment, seat and restraint, instrument cluster (hour meter, battery discharge indicator, fault codes), steering system (rear-wheel steering principle), drive and hydraulic motors, mast assembly (inner and outer rail), mast stages (duplex, triplex), reach mechanism and carriage, forks (length, thickness, heel and blade inspection), stabiliser legs (outrigger pads and wheels)
• Hydraulic system and controls: Hydraulic pump and reservoir, hydraulic fluid specifications and levels, control levers and joystick functions — lift/lower, reach extend/retract, tilt forward/back, sideshift left/right (where fitted), fork levelling. Understanding hydraulic lock-out at maximum lift height, hydraulic speed reduction at elevation, and the function of the load backrest extension
• Battery system — lead-acid traction batteries: Traction battery construction — cells, plates, electrolyte. Specific gravity testing with hydrometer. Watering procedure — correct electrolyte level, distilled water only, filling after charge not before. Charging — connecting charger, charge cycle duration, equalisation charge purpose and frequency. Battery handling safety — acid PPE, hydrogen gas venting, no smoking rule, battery change with overhead crane or battery roller
• Pre-operational inspection procedure: The full pre-shift check sequence as required by SAQA 242972 — exterior visual inspection (body, overhead guard, tyres/wheels, battery connector), forks (cracks, bends, wear, tips), mast (rails, chains, sheaves, cylinder leaks), reach mechanism (slide rails, rollers), hydraulic levels, battery charge state, seat belt, horn, lights, warning devices, and completing and signing the pre-shift inspection sheet. Defining what constitutes a defect requiring quarantine vs a defect that can be reported without removing the truck from service
• Load principles — centre of gravity and stability: The stability triangle principle for reach trucks — how the three-point stability system differs from counterbalance forklifts. Load centre of gravity and its effect on the truck's rated capacity. Reading and interpreting the load capacity plate — rated capacity at standard load centre, capacity reduction at increased load centre, capacity reduction at height. Calculating the effective load capacity for a specific load based on its dimensions and weight. Consequences of overloading — mast failure, tip-over, rack collapse
• Load assessment and fork engagement: Assessing a pallet load before pickup — pallet condition, load stability, load dimensions, weight estimation and comparison to rated capacity. Correct fork engagement — fork spread, fork insertion depth (75–100% of pallet depth), load backrest contact, and ensuring load does not overhang the fork tips beyond safe limits. Asymmetric load handling — understanding side loading effects on stability

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Day 2 Theory Programme

• OHS Act 85 of 1993 — reach truck legal obligations: Section 8 general duty of care for employers and Section 14 duties of employees. The General Machinery Regulations — requirement for competency certificates, operator age (18+ minimum), medical fitness, operator authorisation letter. The role of the appointed Health and Safety Representative. Incident reporting requirements — what constitutes a reportable incident, how to complete Form 24. Penalties for unlicensed operation and employer liability for unqualified operators
• Safe travel procedures in the warehouse: Safe travel speed — maximum 8 km/h in open areas, 3 km/h in pedestrian zones. Forks and mast in travel position — forks at 150–200 mm above floor, mast tilted back, reach retracted. Horn use — at blind corners, aisle intersections, doorways, ramps and pedestrian crossings. Right-of-way — pedestrian priority in all circumstances. Visibility — using mirrors, looking in direction of travel, reversing with load where forward visibility is impaired. Traffic management rules — one-way aisles, speed bumps, marked pedestrian zones, battery charging bays
• Narrow-aisle operation principles: Understanding aisle width requirements for reach trucks vs counterbalance forklifts. Approach to an aisle — slowing down, checking aisle is clear, entering straight. Travel in the aisle — slow speed, maintaining centreline, watching overhead clearance. Positioning for stacking — aligning with the rack face, squaring up, confirming correct rack location against the pick/put-away instruction. Exiting the aisle — reach retracted, forks lowered, checking cross-traffic before emerging
• High-rack stacking theory: Racking system types — selective racking, drive-in racking, push-back and pallet flow. Understanding beam levels and bay numbering. Stacking at height — mast extension and reach mechanism interaction, load levelling before insertion, slow and controlled load placement, rack beam clearance minimum 75 mm. Using the side-view camera system (where fitted). Weight limits per rack bay — reading rack load notices. Damage reporting — what to do if rack, beam or upright is damaged or suspected of being overloaded
• Picking and put-away in a WMS environment: Introduction to warehouse management systems — RF scanner operation basics, barcode scanning for location confirmation, completing a pick or put-away transaction, reporting system discrepancies. FIFO (first-in-first-out) and FEFO (first-expired-first-out) principles. Slot location labelling — understanding aisle, bay, level coding. Damaged goods procedure — segregation, reporting, completing a damage report
• Emergency procedures: Tip-over: stay in seat, brace hands on wheel, lean away from fall direction — never jump out. Fire in the warehouse: sound alarm, alert supervisor, use fire extinguisher only if small and controllable, evacuate to assembly point. Pedestrian near-miss: stop immediately, sound horn, do not resume until pedestrian is clear. Load drop: secure area, report to supervisor, do not attempt recovery without assessment. Reporting: all incidents — however minor — to be entered in the incident register before end of shift
• Post-operational procedures & handover: End-of-shift sequence — park in designated bay, lower forks to floor, mast tilted back, reach retracted, apply handbrake, switch off, connect battery to charger, complete post-shift inspection check sheet, report all defects in writing to supervisor. Handover to incoming operator — verbal handover of any defects, unusual events, or pending tasks. Understanding the operator's personal liability for unreported defects found on the next pre-shift inspection

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Day 3 Practical Programme

• Live pre-operational inspection: Every candidate conducts a full pre-shift inspection on the reach truck — working through the inspection checklist in sequence, physically checking each item, recording findings on the inspection sheet, and signing off as operator. Trainer observes and corrects any missed items or incorrect procedure. This is completed at the start of every practical day throughout the course
• Machine familiarisation and controls: Sitting correctly in the operator seat, adjusting seat and armrest, fastening the seat belt. Practising each hydraulic control independently — lift/lower, reach extend/retract, tilt, sideshift. Understanding the interlock — machine will not move with seat belt unfastened. Starting and shutting down the machine correctly. Driving forward and reverse in open area — steering response (rear-wheel steering feel), throttle sensitivity, regenerative braking
• Basic travel and manoeuvrability: Driving circuits in the open warehouse area — forward, reverse, turning, figure-of-eight pattern. Practising smooth deceleration and stopping at marked lines. Horn use at every intersection and corner. Practising the travel position — forks at correct height, mast back, reach retracted — and maintaining this position throughout all travel
• Fork engagement — floor-level pallets: Approaching a floor-level pallet — slowing, squaring up, checking fork spread matches pallet width. Inserting forks at floor level — slow controlled entry, checking for obstruction. Lifting load — smooth lift, checking load is balanced before travelling. Transporting load — smooth travel, watching overhead clearance. Depositing load at floor level — aligning, lowering smoothly, withdrawing forks cleanly
• Level 1 racking — stacking and retrieval: Approaching the rack face — squaring up at 90 degrees, aligning forks with the Level 1 beam height, extending reach to position load over beam. Lowering load onto beam, checking clearance, retracting reach. Retrieval — extending reach, engaging pallet, lifting clear of beam, retracting load, lowering to travel position, reversing clear of rack. Candidates repeat stacking and retrieval exercises until smooth and consistent
• Battery change and charging procedure: Full battery change procedure — moving truck to battery bay, connecting overhead crane or using battery roller, disconnecting battery connector, removing battery, inspecting battery compartment, inserting charged battery, connecting, checking charge indicator. Connecting battery to charger correctly — cable routing, charger settings, starting charge cycle. Checking electrolyte level and watering if required

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Day 4 Practical Programme

• Narrow-aisle entry and exit practice: Entering the narrow aisle correctly — approaching straight, reducing speed, positioning reach truck on the aisle centreline. Travelling the full length of the aisle without touching racking on either side. Exiting the aisle — stopping before emerging, checking cross-traffic with mirror or direct view, emerging slowly. Multiple entries and exits until the candidate demonstrates consistent, controlled narrow-aisle technique
• Level 2 and 3 high-rack stacking: Raising mast to Level 2 beam height in the aisle — mast extension, confirming correct height before reaching. Extending reach to insert load — load levelling before placement, clearing beam by minimum 75 mm on insertion. Placing load on beam — smooth lowering, confirming seated, retracting reach. Level 3 stacking — same procedure at greater height, using vision apertures in the mast at height, understanding reduced stability at full height with extended reach
• Level 2 and 3 load retrieval: Approaching the correct rack location — confirming aisle, bay and level identification. Raising to correct level, extending reach to engage pallet — checking for pallet damage before lifting. Extracting load from rack — lifting clear of beam, retracting load to truck, lowering to travel position. Candidates practice stacking and retrieval at Levels 2 and 3 repeatedly until competent and consistent
• Level 4 and above stacking and retrieval: High-level stacking at Level 4+ — understanding the progressive reduction in load capacity at height and extension, using slow hydraulic speed at full extension. Managing restricted visibility at height — using mirrors, camera system and aisle markers to maintain orientation. Maintaining stability — no sharp steering movements with load raised, checking for overhead obstructions before raising mast fully
• Picking and put-away simulation: Candidates receive simulated pick and put-away instructions — locating rack positions from bay/level references, collecting pallets from floor level, stacking to specified rack locations, retrieving pallets from rack locations and depositing to despatch area. Completing the simulated WMS transaction at each step. Candidates are assessed on sequence compliance, accuracy of location, load condition on completion and time efficiency
• Incident and emergency drills: Practice of tip-over response — brace drill in seat. Pedestrian emergency stop — stopping within marked distance from a pedestrian target. Load drop response — stopping, securing area, notifying trainer. Reviewing end-of-day post-operational procedure — parking, lowering forks, battery on charge, completing check sheet, entering simulated defect into the defect register

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Day 5 Assessment Programme

• Assessment warm-up and review: Candidates complete their pre-operational inspection independently — no assistance from trainer. Machine start-up, controls check, and a short warm-up travel circuit to re-establish machine feel before the formal assessment begins. Any mechanical defects found are reported to the assessor before continuing
• Formal pre-operational inspection assessment: Candidates are formally assessed on their ability to conduct a complete, correct pre-operational inspection in the correct sequence without prompting — every item on the check sheet completed, defects identified and recorded correctly. Assessor marks against the SAQA 242972 assessment criteria
• Practical operation assessment — travel and floor-level handling: Candidates demonstrate safe travel — correct speed, forks in travel position, horn use at intersections, smooth steering and stopping. Floor-level pallet pickup — correct approach, fork engagement, load verification, transporting to a specified location. Assessed on technique, safety compliance and load care
• Practical operation assessment — narrow-aisle stacking and retrieval: Candidates stack pallets at Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 locations specified by the assessor — entering the aisle correctly, positioning accurately, stacking at height with correct technique, retrieving loads from specified locations. Assessed on aisle discipline, rack clearance on placement, load condition after retrieval, and overall safety compliance throughout
• Formal written knowledge assessment: Short written or verbal knowledge test covering SAQA 242972 outcomes — load capacity principles, OHS Act obligations, pre-operational inspection requirements, emergency procedures, and post-operational procedures. Combined with the practical assessment result to determine overall Competent or Not Yet Competent result
• Certificate of Competence issued: Successful candidates are assessed as Competent against SAQA US 242972 outcomes and receive their Certificate of Competence — Operate a Reach Truck, issued by Real Skills Technical FET and quality-assured by TETA — qualifying them as certified reach truck operators, recognised by warehouses, DCs and logistics operators across South Africa and the region