Lifting of people using forklift trucks

In addition to the requirements of section 59(3), the conditions set out in this Annex shall be fulfilled when lifting persons with a forklift truck intended exclusively for the lifting of goods.

1. The forklift

1.1. The lifting capacity of the forklift truck at the maximum lifting height shall be at least 4 times the total maximum weight (weight of work basket and maximum permissible load).

1.2. Types of forklift trucks in which the centre of gravity of the load is within the support surface shall have an unloaded weight of at least 2,000 kg, including any potential battery.

1.3. The forklift truck shall be protected from rolling over if it punctures, for example, when using massive/puncture-free tires or apron.

1.4. The wear on the forks shall not exceed 5% of the original thickness.

1.5. The lowering speed should not exceed 0.5 m/s in case of breakage of the hydraulic system.

1.6. The forklift truck shall have rotating warning lights.

2. Work basket

2.1. The work basket used shall be removable, i.e. loosely fitted and thus not interconnected with the forklift. The work basket shall be considered as part of the load.

2.2. The total weight of the work basket with load shall not exceed 500 kg. No more than two people are permitted to be lifted in the work basket at the same time.

2.3. The floor surface shall be no more than 1.2 × 1.2 metres and not less than 0.6 m2 per person. The floor shall be dense and non-slip.

2.4. Facing towards the forklift’s mast, the work basket shall have at minimum a 1.9-metre high guarding with a 15-cm high dense toeboard. The guarding shall be transparent and protect persons against the possibility of getting crushed in the mast. The guarding shall be at least as wide as the mast.

2.5. There shall be a guardrail of at least 1 metre in height with a toprail and midrail and a 15-cm high dense toeboard all the way around the rest of the work basket. The toeboard shall have yellow/black stripes on its exterior. In addition, there shall be an interior toprail 10 cm inside and 10 cm above the guardrail’s toprail.

2.6. There shall be a gate in the guardrail. The gate shall not open outwards. The gate shall be able to close itself and be equipped with a solid and automatic locking device.

2.7. Anchor points shall be provided for attaching anti-fall equipment. Each anchor point shall be capable of absorbing a force of at least 3 kN. The number of anchor points shall be at least equal to the permissible number of persons in the work basket.

2.8. It shall be ensured that the work basket can only be mounted in the correct position. The work basket shall be fixed on the forks by two locking devices. The locking devices shall be visible from the basket and it shall be possible to see whether the work basket has been brought into the locked position.

2.9. The work basket shall be clearly marked with information about its permissible load.

2.10. The load is given as maximum permissible load in kg and permitted number of persons + other weight in kg.

2.11. There shall be a sign with the necessary information on the correct use of the controls.

2.12. The vertical movement of the work basket shall be controllable

1. from the usual operating controls by the driver position of the forklift truck, but only if a mechanism in the work basket is simultaneously impacted, or
2. from a set of operating controls placed in the work basket which ensure that movement is halted when the operating control is released. You must not be able to manoeuver the forklift truck from the driver’s seat at the same time.

2.13. The operating controls in the work basket shall be protected against accidental operation. It shall be ensured that the connection cables cannot get tangled or stuck.

2.14. The emergency lowering of the basket shall be possible to do quickly from the ground or terrain.

2.15. There shall be an instruction for use for the work basket which shall include complete information about how to use and maintain it. The instruction for use shall be stored in the work basket.

2.16. The work basket must not bear the CE mark according to EU legislation on machinery.

3. Application

3.1. Persons may only be lifted using the work basket.

3.2. The forklift truck driver shall be certified according to the rules on forklift truck driver’s certificates in the Danish Executive Order on occupational health and safety training programmes (‘bekendtgørelse om arbejdsmiljøfaglige uddannelser’).

3.3. The surface for driving shall be level, horizontal and have sufficient load-bearing capacity.

3.4. Before the lift starts, the forklift truck driver shall review the equipment and working conditions together with the person or persons who will use the work basket.

3.5. It is not permitted for persons to leave the work basket while it is in a lifted position.

3.6. When the work basket is raised more than 1 metre, the forklift truck must be decelerated, the warning light must be on and the necessary barriers must be set up around the work area.

3.7. Driving with a manned work basket shall be carried out slowly and carefully and shall only take place when the work basket is raised free of the ground, when there is no risk of hitting obstacles and when the work basket is not raised more than 1 m above the driving surface.

3.8. It is not permitted for persons to stay under or move under the work basket.

3.9. The lifting height should not exceed 5 metres. If, in exceptional circumstances, the work requires being lifted to a greater height then the tilting motion shall be mechanically blocked.