Test themes
Load chart: reading a forklift capacity plate without mistakes
The questions below come from the R489 “load chart and capacity diagram” theme. Each one is built on a fictitious plate shown with the question.
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Questions written by Radif Partners from the French Health Insurance recommendations. This is not the official test, which is sat at a certified testing body and is in French. Your answers stay in this browser.
The load chart, called abaque de charge or plaque de charge in French, gives the mass a truck may lift according to two variables: the lift height and the distance from the fork heel to the centre of gravity of the load. In the R489 theory test, this theme carries 10 points out of 100, split between two syllabus points: finding the capacity for a given height and load centre, and finding the highest permitted height for a given mass. The pass rule demands at least 5 correct answers out of 10 in this theme, whatever the overall score. R485 for pedestrian stackers marks the theme the same way, with 10 points. The rated capacity printed at the top of the plate only applies at the reference load centre and the lowest height: on our practice plate P1, 2,500 kg at 500 mm, but only 1,350 kg at 5.5 m with a load centred at 800 mm. All our plates are fictitious.
Is this load within the load chart?
Handling
Allowed
| Maximum load read | 2,050 kg |
| Maximum height for this load | 4.5 m |
| Rule | row and column equal or above |
Questions, explanations and calculations by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method
What the plate measures
A counterbalance truck works like a see-saw pivoting on the front axle. On one side, the load pulls forward with a lever arm equal to the distance of its centre of gravity; on the other, the counterweight and the truck’s own mass hold it back. The further out the load sits, the stronger its tipping effect: that is why each column to the right of the plate gives a lower figure. Height matters too, because an extended mast flexes and makes the whole truck more sensitive to tilting. The truck stability page explains these mechanisms.
Practice plate P1, row by row
| Lift height | 500 mm | 600 mm | 700 mm | 800 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.3 m | 2,500 kg | 2,200 kg | 1,950 kg | 1,750 kg |
| 4.5 m | 2,300 kg | 2,050 kg | 1,800 kg | 1,600 kg |
| 5.5 m | 1,900 kg | 1,700 kg | 1,500 kg | 1,350 kg |
A three-step method, for a 1,900 kg pallet centred at 650 mm, to be placed at 4 m. First the row: there is no 4 m row, so take the 4.5 m one. Then the column: 650 mm falls in the 700 mm column. Finally the cell: 1,800 kg. The pallet is heavier, so the lift is refused at that height. Coming down to 3.3 m, the cell gives 1,950 kg and the placement becomes possible. The mini tool on this page repeats the calculation for any combination.
The two standard test questions
| Syllabus point | Points |
|---|---|
| Capacity for a given height and load centre | 5 |
| Allowed height for a given mass and load centre | 5 |
The first asks for a mass: “what is the maximum load at this height, with this load centre?”. The second starts from the mass and asks for the highest reachable height. With plate P2 for a reach truck, a 1,250 kg load centred at 800 mm can go up to 6.0 m and no higher. Both exercises carry the same number of points.
The most common traps
- Reading the rated capacity at the top of the plate instead of the cell matching the situation.
- Taking the lower row because it is closer to the height you need.
- Forgetting the mass of the pallet or packaging in the total mass.
- Mixing up load centre and load length: a well-centred 1,200 mm pallet has its centre at 600 mm.
Charts for aerial lifts (R486) and loader cranes (R490) are read with the same logic, as curves or outreach diagrams: the slinging page gives an example. To test yourself on this theme in exam conditions, move on to the mock exam, which draws 10 load chart questions as the R489 recommendation marking requires. Remember that the real test is in French: learn the words hauteur de levée (lift height) and centre de gravité (load centre).