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Understanding Forklift Load Capacities to Improve Forklift Safety

When you are buying a forklift, the sales talk around the forklift can often be misleading. For example, your standard 5000 pound Warehouse Forklift is usually equipped with a three-stage straight mast, a 15 foot lifting height and a side-shift feature. Because it is sold or rented as a 5000 pound forklift, many people are lead to believe that it reaches its load capacity at 5000 pounds. However, if you were to look at the forklift load chart you would see that this forklift’s capacity is only 3700 pounds.

It is imperative that forklift operators worry less about oil changes as a safety measure and worry more about the load chart.

There are finer details surrounding this concept that need to be noted in order to improve forklift safety.

A 5000 pound forklift that has a four-stage mast has a lift height of about 20 feet. This setup with side-shift could bring your load capacity down to as little as 600 pounds.
A 5000 pound forklift only qualifies to carry said load capacity if it has a single-mast without side-shift.
A 5000 pound forklift with a three-stage mast and side-shift may be able to handle a 5000 pound load, however, it is not recommended to raise it all the way up and tilt the load all the way forward.This problem is not unique to warehouse forklifts. Rough-terrain straight-mast forklifts deal with the same laws of physics

The bottom line is that you should always consult and understand the forklift load chart and I.D. plate for the forklift you are operating or buying and never exceed the limits. Load charts and I.D. plates are a requirement with any forklift that is sold or rented out.