Reach Truck
Under WorkSafeBC, is a reach truck legally considered 'mobile equipment' or 'lift truck,' and which standards apply?
Yes, a reach truck is mobile equipment and a lift truck under Part 16 – Mobile Equipment. It must meet CSA B335 Safety standard for lift trucks, and operator training must comply with CSA B335-15 Industrial Lift Truck Operator Training (Clause 6), as referenced by WorkSafeBC.
Does a generic 'forklift license' (counterbalance only) satisfy WorkSafeBC requirements for operating reach trucks?
No. WorkSafeBC and CSA B335-15 require equipment-specific training. A counterbalance certificate does not authorize operation of a reach truck without additional training and evaluation on that type.
How should SafeDesk interpret 'load chart' requirements for reach trucks?
Where rated load varies with reach, Part 16 requires a legible load chart displayed in the operator's cab or immediately available. For reach trucks, the chart must show capacity vs. lift height vs. reach/attachment. SafeDesk should flag absence, illegibility, or operator unawareness as non-compliant.
A reach truck is a powered industrial lift truck designed for narrow-aisle, high-rack warehousing, featuring a hydraulically extendable mast or carriage that reaches forward to handle loads and retracts to carry them within the wheelbase for stability. Under WorkSafeBC OHS Regulation Part 16, it is classified as mobile equipment and must comply with CSA B335 standards for safety and operator training.
On the shop floor, reach trucks are used in narrow-aisle warehousing to maximize racking density and handle pallet loads at high levels. Key safety practices include never driving with the reach mechanism extended except when inching at the rack, applying the parking brake before operating the reach, and carrying loads low and retracted during travel. Operators must follow load charts that show capacity decreasing with reach and lift height, and undergo equipment-specific training per CSA B335-15. Pre-use inspections must cover the reach mechanism, mast, forks, hydraulics, brakes, and steering to ensure safe operation.
Operating with reach extended during travel, which increases tipping moment and violates manufacturer instructions, leading to tip-over risks.
Inadequate operator training where counterbalance certification is used for reach trucks without equipment-specific training, failing WorkSafeBC and CSA B335-15 requirements.
Exceeding capacity at height by ignoring load charts, especially at maximum reach where overturning moment is greatest, causing stability failures.