Forklift licence types

Getting your Forklift licence is a great way of improving your employment opportunities in Australia! If you have never had a forklift licence before, it is a good way of getting in to the logistics industry and allows you to work in warehouse or transport positions. If you have experience in these industries already, it may be that the qualifications you have don’t satisfy current requirements as set by OH&S and WorkCover … for example, if your current licence was obtained overseas.

When looking at Forklift driver training courses, it is important to know which kind of forklift licence you wish/need to apply for. There are two types of licences in particular that allow you to drive different types of vehicles: an LF licence and an LO licence.

When you get your LF Licence, you are authorised to operate any forklift vehicle except for those that are classified as LO - which stands for Load-Shifting Order Picker. To drive an LO vehicle, you will need an LO Order Picker licence which permits you to operate a Load Shifting Order Picker and a VNA (Very Narrow Aisle) truck, which is also known as a ‘turret truck’.

A VNA Truck/Turret Truck

The reason for the different licences is because each vehicle is handled quite differently.

A forklift truck is controlled from the driver’s seat, with a steering wheel, whereas the person operating an LO order picker is required to wear a harness at all times as there may be occasions where they are elevated above the ground.

A forklift truck has a pair of fork ‘arms’ attached, and these can be lifted 900mm or more above ground level. This makes the forklift a great vehicle for moving heavy items, or many items at once, in a warehouse environment.

An LF Forklift

The LO stock picker allows the operator to pick stock at varying heights - they control the vehicle via the load carriage, which can reach as high as 10 metres, making it great for use in warehouses where stock is loaded on to high racking.

If you are hoping to find employment in the Logistics industry, it will help to have both an LF and an LO licence. The logical first step is to get your LF licence, as this allows you to drive more than just one type of vehicle. We offer the course you need to get your LF Class Forklift Licence: TLILIC2001A - Licence to Operate a Forklift Truck - take a look at what is involved in the course and give us a call if you have any questions!