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26 Hazards, Refueling & Battery Charging Practice Questions & Answers

Every Hazards, Refueling & Battery Charging practice question from the Forklift Operator (OSHA) Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.

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  1. 1. A warehouse moves palletized lumber across an unpaved gravel yard between buildings, often in rain and mud. Which powered industrial truck class is designed for that surface?

    • A.Class IV, internal combustion trucks on solid cushion tires, made for smooth indoor floors
    • B.Class III, electric hand or hand/rider trucks, made for moving pallets on level floors
    • C.Class II, electric narrow aisle trucks, made for reaching into racking inside a building
    • D.Class V, internal combustion trucks on pneumatic tires, made for rough outdoor yards✓ Answer

    OSHA's classification puts internal combustion trucks with pneumatic tires in Class V because the large air-filled tires absorb shock and hold traction on gravel, mud and other unimproved outdoor ground. Class IV cushion tires need a smooth dry indoor floor, and Classes II and III are electric indoor equipment.

    Ref QB-Z7QEMDSource: OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool, Types and Fundamentals: truck Classes I-VIIReport a problem with this question

  2. 2. An order selector works from a Class II order picker whose platform lifts the operator to the third rack level. Which hazard governs how that job is done?

    • A.The operator can fall from the raised platform, so a body harness and lanyard must be worn and anchored✓ Answer
    • B.The mast rises only while the truck is moving, so the whole aisle must be cleared of other trucks
    • C.The raised platform counts as a scaffold, so guardrails must be added on all four sides before lifting
    • D.The truck loses its braking when raised, so the wheels must be chocked at every picking position

    A Class II order picker raises the operator with the load, so the controlling hazard is a fall from the elevated platform; OSHA expects fall protection, and recommends a body harness rather than a body belt, on the elevated platform of a powered industrial truck. The truck's own stability rules still apply, but they do not replace the fall protection.

    Ref QB-GQH92DSource: 29 CFR 1910.178; OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool, order pickers and fall protection on elevated platformsReport a problem with this question

  3. 3. An enclosed food distribution warehouse with limited ventilation runs trucks around the clock. Why is a Class I electric motor rider truck usually chosen over an internal combustion truck?

    • A.Electric trucks sit lower, so they will not tip over even when the load is stacked high
    • B.Electric trucks carry no counterweight, so their rated capacity beats an engine truck's
    • C.Electric trucks need no daily examination, so round-the-clock work loses no time
    • D.Electric trucks give off no engine exhaust, so carbon monoxide cannot build up indoors✓ Answer

    An internal combustion engine produces carbon monoxide, and in a closed building with limited ventilation that gas concentrates until it exceeds the exposure limits OSHA adopts by reference; a battery truck has no exhaust, so the source is removed rather than diluted. Electric trucks still tip, still need the daily examination, and their battery is part of the counterweight.

    Ref QB-Y7C4FCSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(i)(1), carbon monoxide; OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool, truck classesReport a problem with this question

  4. 4. A contractor wants to bring a Class VII rough terrain forklift with large pneumatic tires inside a finished warehouse. What is the correct assessment?

    • A.It may be used anywhere once the operator is trained, since the class covers indoor and outdoor work
    • B.It is built for unimproved outdoor ground, and indoors its size and exhaust make it the wrong truck✓ Answer
    • C.It is acceptable indoors whenever the floor is smooth concrete and the aisles are 12 feet wide
    • D.Every model in the class is electric, so the only indoor question is where the charger is placed

    Class VII rough terrain trucks are built with high ground clearance and flotation tires for unimproved outdoor ground; used inside they bring an engine exhaust hazard into a confined space and their width and turning radius do not suit warehouse aisles. Training does not change what a truck is designed for, and Class VII trucks are engine powered, not electric.

    Ref QB-FQ6XUBSource: OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool, Class VII rough terrain forklift trucksReport a problem with this question

  5. 5. An LP-gas forklift idles for two hours inside a closed truck trailer at a dock. Why is carbon monoxide the concern rather than the noise or the heat?

    • A.It becomes hazardous only above the lower explosive limit, when a spark can ignite the trailer air
    • B.It is heavier than air and settles at floor level, where it slowly attacks the wooden decking of the trailer
    • C.It is produced only by diesel engines, so a propane truck releases it when the fuel line leaks
    • D.It is a colorless, odorless product of combustion that binds to the blood and starves tissue of oxygen✓ Answer

    Any hydrocarbon engine, propane included, produces carbon monoxide, which cannot be seen or smelled and binds to hemoglobin far more readily than oxygen does, so the operator loses oxygen delivery before noticing anything wrong. A closed trailer has no air exchange, so the concentration climbs steadily while the engine runs.

    Ref QB-X7ZR9BSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(i)(1) and 1910.178(l)(3)(ii)(H), closed environments and carbon monoxideReport a problem with this question

  6. 6. In winter a plant keeps its dock doors closed, and by mid-shift operators of propane trucks report headaches and dizziness. What is the correct response?

    • A.Stop the trucks and treat it as carbon monoxide buildup: ventilate, monitor the air, service the engines✓ Answer
    • B.Issue dust masks, because the symptoms come from exhaust particulate rather than from any gas
    • C.Have operators take a break outside each hour and keep running the same trucks with the doors shut
    • D.Raise the plant thermostat, because headaches in that season come from cold stress rather than exhaust

    Headache and dizziness among engine truck operators in a building that has just been sealed up for the cold are the classic early signs of carbon monoxide overexposure, so the source is stopped first and then controlled by ventilation, air monitoring and engine maintenance, since a poorly tuned engine emits far more carbon monoxide. Breaks and dust masks do nothing about a gas.

    Ref QB-EQTKPASource: 29 CFR 1910.178(i)(1) and 1910.178(p)(1); OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool, carbon monoxide in closed environmentsReport a problem with this question

  7. 7. A truck must work in an area where lacquer solvent vapors are normally present in the air. Which designation under 1910.178(b) identifies a truck built for that atmosphere?

    • A.GS, a gasoline truck with added safeguards to its exhaust, fuel and electrical systems
    • B.Class I, the marking carried by trucks approved for flammable gas and vapor locations
    • C.EX, whose electrical fittings are designed for atmospheres holding flammable vapors✓ Answer
    • D.DY, a diesel truck with no electrical equipment and a surface temperature limitation

    The eleven designations in 1910.178(b) describe how a truck is built against ignition, and EX is the one whose electrical equipment is designed for atmospheres containing flammable vapors or dusts, which is why it is the designation accepted where solvent vapor is normally present. Class I is a hazardous location class, not a truck marking, which is the trap in this question.

    Ref QB-W7NE4ASource: 29 CFR 1910.178(b), designation EX; 1910.178(c)(2)Report a problem with this question

  8. 8. A process area can contain hazardous concentrations of hydrogen and acetylene. Which powered industrial truck may be operated there?

    • A.Only a truck marked EX, because its electrical fittings are approved for atmospheres of flammable gas
    • B.Any diesel truck marked DY, because it carries no electrical equipment that could ignite
    • C.No powered industrial truck of any designation may operate where those concentrations exist✓ Answer
    • D.Any electric truck marked EE, because its motors and all its wiring are completely enclosed

    The standard names a short list of atmospheres, hydrogen and acetylene among them, in which no powered industrial truck of any designation may be used, because those gases ignite at energies so low that even EX construction cannot be relied on. The work has to be done another way, or the atmosphere has to be removed first.

    Ref QB-DQF9H9Source: 29 CFR 1910.178(c)(2)(i), atmospheres in which no truck may be usedReport a problem with this question

  9. 9. A plant will buy a forklift for an area where combustible dust may be suspended in the air. What has to happen before a truck type is chosen?

    • A.The truck must be ordered with the heaviest counterweight the maker offers for that model and aisle
    • B.The location must be classified as hazardous or nonhazardous, which decides the truck types allowed✓ Answer
    • C.The dust collection system must be switched off whenever a powered truck works in that area of the plant
    • D.The operators must complete refresher training on the dust hazard before the truck is delivered

    Truck selection follows the location, not the other way round: the area is first classified as hazardous or nonhazardous, and the class and division of that classification then determine which truck designations the standard's table permits. A truck with greater safeguards than the minimum may always be used, but the classification has to exist first.

    Ref QB-V7A4X8Source: 29 CFR 1910.178(c)(2) and Table N-1, hazardous location classification and permitted trucksReport a problem with this question

  10. 10. An operator sees a patch of hydraulic oil spread across the aisle ahead. What is the correct action?

    • A.Cross the patch slowly in a straight line, since the truck's weight keeps the drive tires gripping
    • B.Cross it with the load raised, because lifting weight off the axle improves traction on the oil
    • C.Drive through it several times so the tires wipe the floor dry for the trucks that follow
    • D.Stop, report the spill and have it cleaned up, since driving through it spreads the slick wider✓ Answer

    Oil and grease cause the drive tires to skid, and tires that roll through a spill carry it down the aisle, so the hazardous area gets larger rather than smaller. The operator's job is to avoid the patch, report it and see it cleaned or absorbed, not to work around it by driving more carefully.

    Ref QB-R93U7JSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(n)(10); OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool, surface conditionsReport a problem with this question

  11. 11. A yard route crosses a speed bump and a shallow drainage channel. How should a forklift cross them?

    • A.Squarely and quickly, so that both drive wheels clear the obstruction at the same moment
    • B.At normal travel speed with the mast tilted fully forward to hold the load steady
    • C.Slowly and at about a 45 degree angle, so one wheel crosses at a time and contact is kept✓ Answer
    • D.In reverse with the forks raised, so that the front wheels are unloaded as they cross

    Taking a bump or channel at roughly 45 degrees lets the wheels ride over it one at a time, so the truck keeps contact with the surface and the jolt that shifts the combined center of gravity is much smaller. Hitting it square at speed lifts both front wheels together, and tilting forward or raising the load makes a tipover more likely, not less.

    Ref QB-9S8ZSJSource: OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool, Understanding the Workplace: surface and physical conditionsReport a problem with this question

  12. 12. A loaded counterbalanced forklift must travel down a ramp with a grade of about 12 percent. How is it driven?

    • A.In reverse, with the load pointed up the grade and the operator looking downgrade as it travels✓ Answer
    • B.Forward, with the load pointed down the grade so that the operator keeps a clear view of the ramp ahead
    • C.Forward, with the load raised high enough to clear the break in the surface at the ramp's foot
    • D.In reverse, with the mast tilted fully forward so the load stays pressed against the backrest

    On a grade steeper than 10 percent a loaded truck is driven with the load upgrade, so going down means travelling in reverse while the operator turns to face the direction of travel; that keeps the load from running out over the front axle, which is the tipping axis. The load stays tilted back and only high enough to clear the surface.

    Ref QB-Q9QG2HSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(n)(7)(i) and (n)(7)(iii)Report a problem with this question

  13. 13. An operator stages pallets on an elevated dock close to the open edge. Which practice controls the fall-off-the-edge hazard?

    • A.Keep a safe distance from the edge and allow for rear-end swing, which swings wider than the front✓ Answer
    • B.Straddle the edge with the outside tire so the pallet lands as close to the trailer as possible
    • C.Back to within a wheel width of the edge, since the counterweight keeps the rear from dropping
    • D.Raise the forks while near the edge, so the operator can see the drop-off past the load

    A forklift steers from the rear, so the back end sweeps a wider arc than the front and can cross an edge the operator never aimed at; the standard therefore requires a safe distance from the edge of elevated docks and platforms. The counterweight does nothing once a wheel is over the edge, and raising the load only raises the center of gravity.

    Ref QB-8SVNMHSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(m)(6)Report a problem with this question

  14. 14. A travel route passes under sprinkler piping, light fixtures and a low door header. What does that require of the operator?

    • A.Carry the load at mast height, so the operator can watch it clear the sprinkler piping
    • B.Tilt the mast fully back and raise the load, which shortens the truck and adds clearance
    • C.Check the headroom and travel with the load low, raising it only to stack at the rack✓ Answer
    • D.Keep the usual route speed, since the overhead guard will absorb a strike against piping

    The standard requires sufficient headroom under overhead installations, lights, pipes and sprinkler systems, and the way an operator meets it is to know the clearance and travel with the load and mast low, lifting only at the stacking point. The overhead guard is built to turn aside small falling objects, not to survive striking rigid piping.

    Ref QB-T9SGJMSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(m)(8) and (m)(9)Report a problem with this question

  15. 15. Loaded pallets must be delivered onto a mezzanine. What must the operator know before driving onto it?

    • A.The truck's rated capacity at its rated load center, which sets the limit for the mezzanine
    • B.The posted floor loading limit, against the weight of the truck, its load and the operator✓ Answer
    • C.The tire pressure the maker specifies, which fixes the floor pressure under the truck
    • D.The number of pallets already stored there, since limits are stated as pallets per bay

    An operating surface has to support the truck, its load and its operator, so the figure that governs is the posted floor loading limit compared with that combined weight; a loaded forklift concentrates several tons on a few square inches of tire contact. The truck's own capacity plate says nothing about what the structure underneath can carry.

    Ref QB-BSXN5NSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(m)(7); OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool, floor loading limitsReport a problem with this question

  16. 16. Two forklifts travel the same main aisle in the same direction. What does 1910.178(n)(1) require of the following operator?

    • A.Stay about three truck lengths back and keep the truck under control at all times✓ Answer
    • B.Stay about one truck length back and match the speed of the truck ahead exactly
    • C.Stay about ten feet back and sound the horn continuously while following the truck
    • D.Stay about six feet back and pass as soon as the aisle is wide enough to allow it

    The rule sets a following distance of approximately three truck lengths and requires the operator to keep the truck under control, because a loaded forklift is heavy, brakes slowly and is deliberately designed not to stop abruptly, which would throw the load. Passing in an aisle is separately restricted where the view is blocked.

    Ref QB-S9E6DKSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(n)(1)Report a problem with this question

  17. 17. An aisle ends at a blind corner where a cross aisle passes a doorway. What does the standard require as a truck approaches?

    • A.Stop and switch on the flashing beacon, which takes the place of the horn at blind corners
    • B.Hold the travel speed and rely on the backup alarm to warn anyone in the cross aisle
    • C.Slow down and sound the horn where the view is obstructed, then go on when the way is clear✓ Answer
    • D.Sound the horn only if another truck is heard, since constant horn use is a noise hazard

    The standard requires the driver to slow down and sound the horn at cross aisles and other locations where vision is obstructed, because neither the operator nor the pedestrian can see the other in time to stop. A backup alarm speaks only about reverse travel, and a beacon is a passive light that nobody is required to look at.

    Ref QB-ASKBYKSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(n)(4)Report a problem with this question

  18. 18. A worker on foot walks toward a forklift that is carrying a pallet on raised forks. What is the operator's duty?

    • A.Sound the horn once and keep moving, since people on foot must yield the aisle to powered equipment
    • B.Yield the right of way, stop if needed, and never let the worker pass under the raised load✓ Answer
    • C.Lower the load part way and wave the worker underneath while holding the brake pedal down
    • D.Speed up to clear the aisle, so the worker spends less time anywhere near the raised load

    The truck yields to the person on foot, and the standard flatly forbids anyone from standing or passing under the elevated portion of a truck, loaded or empty, because a hydraulic failure or a shifted pallet drops the load straight down. Workers struck by forklifts are one of the leading causes of forklift fatalities.

    Ref QB-M9NGHDSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(m)(2); OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool, pedestrian safetyReport a problem with this question

  19. 19. While a forklift drives in and out, a trailer at the dock gradually inches away from the dock face. What is happening and what controls it?

    • A.Dock shock; the leveler has to be re-set between each pallet placed inside the trailer
    • B.Trailer creep; a vehicle restraint or chocks must hold the trailer until loading is done✓ Answer
    • C.Landing gear collapse; the fixed jacks must be pulled so the trailer settles on the dock
    • D.Tail swing; the operator has to enter the trailer squarely and place the first loads at the nose

    Each time the forklift drives in and brakes, it pushes the trailer forward a fraction of an inch, and that accumulated movement, called trailer creep, opens a gap the truck can drop into. A vehicle restraint or wheel chocks must be set before loading starts and left in place until the work is finished and the dock signals clear.

    Ref QB-5STN4ESource: 29 CFR 1910.178(k)(1) and (m)(7); OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool, dock safetyReport a problem with this question

  20. 20. Besides chocks or a vehicle restraint, what must be checked before a loaded forklift drives into a semitrailer?

    • A.The roof height of the trailer, which must clear the overhead guard by at least 6 feet
    • B.The parking brake of the tractor, which is the only positive protection the rule accepts
    • C.The floor of the trailer, for breaks and weak spots that will not carry truck and load✓ Answer
    • D.The tire pressures of the trailer, which have to be equalized before the truck drives on

    The standard requires the flooring of trucks, trailers and railroad cars to be checked for breaks and weakness before a powered industrial truck is driven onto them, because a trailer deck is built for distributed freight, not for the concentrated axle load of a loaded forklift. A parking brake alone is not the positive protection the rule calls for.

    Ref QB-N73PPESource: 29 CFR 1910.178(m)(7)Report a problem with this question

  21. 21. A portable dockboard bridges the gap between the dock and a trailer. What does 1910.178(n)(11) require?

    • A.It is set in place with the forks and left loose, so that it can be shifted from door to door quickly
    • B.It must be free to slide so that it follows the trailer, and may be crossed at the usual travel speed
    • C.It must be rated for the load alone, since the dock and the trailer carry the weight of the truck
    • D.It must be secured in place before being driven over, crossed slowly and carefully, and never overloaded✓ Answer

    Dockboards and bridge plates must be properly secured before they are driven over, driven over carefully and slowly, and never loaded beyond their rated capacity, because an unsecured plate can shift or kick out under the drive wheels and drop the truck into the gap. The rating has to cover the truck, the load and the operator together.

    Ref QB-5QVG4ESource: 29 CFR 1910.178(n)(11)Report a problem with this question

  22. 22. Batteries give off gas while they are being charged. Which hazard and control pair is correct for the charging area?

    • A.Hydrogen, which is flammable; the area needs ventilation and must be free of smoking and sparks✓ Answer
    • B.Oxygen enrichment, which feeds fire; the battery compartment covers must be kept closed
    • C.Carbon monoxide, which is toxic; the area needs respirators and a gas monitor at each charging stall
    • D.Chlorine, which is corrosive; the area needs an eyewash and a neutralizing wash at each stall

    A lead-acid battery gasses hydrogen as it charges, and hydrogen is flammable across a very wide range in air, so the standard requires adequate ventilation to disperse the gas, prohibits smoking in the charging area and requires open flames, sparks and electric arcs to be kept away. Vent caps must work and compartment covers stay open so heat and gas escape.

    Ref QB-M7QBHDSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(g), battery charging and changing: ventilation and ignition sourcesReport a problem with this question

  23. 23. Electrolyte has to be mixed in the battery charging area. What is the rule for mixing it?

    • A.Pour the water into the acid slowly, because adding acid to water releases hydrogen gas
    • B.Pour the acid into the water, never water into acid, since the reverse spatters hot acid✓ Answer
    • C.Pour the acid into water that has been heated first, so that the two will mix more quickly
    • D.Pour either one first, as long as the mixture is stirred the whole time it is being poured

    Mixing sulfuric acid with water gives off a great deal of heat; poured into a large volume of water the heat is absorbed, but water poured onto acid boils on contact and throws acid out of the container. The standard states the rule directly, and the charging area must also provide facilities for flushing and neutralizing spilled electrolyte.

    Ref QB-4QH6XCSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(g), battery charging: acid shall be poured into waterReport a problem with this question

  24. 24. A replacement battery fits the compartment but weighs 500 pounds less than the weight range shown on the truck's data plate. What is the concern?

    • A.It will leave the truck short of counterweight, so stability and rated capacity both drop✓ Answer
    • B.It will need charging more often, so a second battery has to be bought for the other shift
    • C.It will sit loose in the compartment, so an added set of restraint brackets solves the issue
    • D.It will deliver a lower voltage, so the truck will travel more slowly whenever it is loaded

    On an electric truck the battery is deliberately heavy because it acts as part of the counterweight behind the front axle, so a battery below the minimum weight on the data plate shortens the vehicle moment and the truck can tip forward at loads it was rated to carry. Changing the counterweighting of a truck requires the manufacturer's approval.

    Ref QB-K7CZBCSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(a)(4) and (q)(6); truck data plate battery weight rangeReport a problem with this question

  25. 25. A stack of cartons on the forks blocks the operator's view forward along the aisle. What does the standard require?

    • A.Have a spotter walk backward directly in front of the loaded forks as the truck goes
    • B.Raise the load high enough for the operator to see underneath it, and drive forward
    • C.Keep going forward at a walking pace, sounding the horn the whole length of the aisle
    • D.Travel in reverse with the load trailing, looking in the direction the truck is going✓ Answer

    When the load obstructs forward view the driver is required to travel with the load trailing, which means reversing while looking in the direction of travel, so the operator sees the aisle instead of the pallet. Raising the load to see under it moves the center of gravity up and is expressly not how the rule is met.

    Ref QB-3Q6URBSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(n)(4) and (n)(6)Report a problem with this question

  26. 26. After shifts spent driving on a rough yard surface an operator reports low back pain, and the seat suspension bottoms out on every bump. What is the right response?

    • A.Put a cushion on the seat and carry on, since vibration is a comfort matter and not an exposure
    • B.Report it so the seat and the yard surface are repaired, since whole-body vibration is the exposure✓ Answer
    • C.Raise the tire pressure above the rating, since harder tires pass less of the shock through to the seat
    • D.Move the operator to a noisier indoor bay, since noise and vibration do not occur in one place

    A seat that bottoms out on a broken surface transmits whole-body vibration and repeated shock into the operator's spine, which is a recognized exposure and not a comfort complaint, so the answer is to report the condition and have both the seat and the operating surface repaired. The standard already requires defects that affect safe operation to be reported and corrected.

    Ref QB-J7ZN6BSource: 29 CFR 1910.178(q)(7) and (p)(1); OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks eTool, operating surface conditionsReport a problem with this question

Other topics in this exam

Practice questions modeled on the OSHA Powered Industrial Trucks standard (29 CFR 1910.178). Not affiliated with or endorsed by OSHA. Passing this practice test does not certify you to operate a forklift — federal law requires your employer to provide formal training and a hands-on evaluation. Always follow OSHA rules and your workplace procedures. Study the official standard at osha.gov. OSHA standard →