Test themes
Loading and unloading a lorry safely with a forklift
The quiz gathers the R489 bank questions about lorries, docks, trailers and tail lifts. Each correction explains the expected action.
Independent site, not linked to the French Health Insurance (Assurance Maladie), the INRS, testing bodies or training centres.
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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.
Loading or unloading a heavy goods vehicle is one of a forklift driver’s riskiest tasks: the lorry may pull away while the truck is still inside, the dock plate may slip, the floor may give way, an uncoupled semi-trailer may tip onto its nose. In R489, the syllabus point “loading and unloading a vehicle, safety protocol” alone is worth 5 points of the operation theme, the heaviest in the test with 50 points. R485 for pedestrian stackers gives it 4 points, plus 6 for falls from a dock or tail lift. The R489 practical test also includes loading at a dock from the rear and loading from the ground. The thread is always the same: a vehicle secured and checked, safe access to the platform, slow driving in line with the trailer, and a balanced spread of loads that follows the loading plan set by the company. In the French test, look for the words quai (dock), remorque (trailer) and pont de liaison (dock plate).
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
At a dock, from the rear: the checklist
| Step | What to check | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Vehicle | Secured, engine off, chocked or restrained | Avoid driving off with the forklift inside |
| 2. Uncoupled trailer | Landing legs sound, stand under the front | Avoid tipping forward |
| 3. Dock plate | Properly seated, lip resting, enough capacity | Avoid falling between dock and trailer |
| 4. Floor | Sound boards, no holes, rated load | Avoid a wheel breaking through |
| 5. Lighting | Light inside the trailer or on the truck | See loads and walls |
| 6. Entry | Slow, in line, forks low | Avoid hitting side boards or stiffeners |
The truck’s dimensions matter too: overhead guard height against the trailer roof, width against the doors, total mass against what the floor can take. Some trucks, too tall or too heavy, must never enter a trailer. The capacity plate still applies inside: a heavy pallet taken from the far end, forks raised to clear another load, may exceed capacity. The mini tool on this page checks a cell on a practice plate.
From the ground, from the side
A flatbed or curtain-sided trailer is often loaded from the ground, from the side. The vehicle stands on flat, firm ground, in the clearest place available. Alternate drops on each side so the lorry does not lean, and adjust fork height as the suspension settles. The forklift never drives over sheets or straps lying on the ground.
Syllabus points, machine by machine
| Recommendation | Syllabus point | Points |
|---|---|---|
| R489 | Loading and unloading vehicles, safety protocol | 5 |
| R485 | Loading and unloading vehicles, safety protocol | 4 |
| R485 | Falls from a dock, tail lift or dock plate | 6 |
| R482 | Loading and unloading on a low loader | 2 |
| R490 | Securing loads on the platform | 3 |
R489 and R485 cover moving pallets to and from a vehicle. R482 looks at loading a machine onto a low loader, and R490 at securing loads on the carrier’s deck before departure.
Awkward loads
- Long load: pick it up at the middle with the forks spread as wide as possible, and allow for its length in bends and doorways.
- Drum or tank of liquid: the contents surge when braking, so brake early and gently; check the hazard pictograms (see signs and pictograms).
- Soft sack or big bag: it deforms and can slide off the forks, so use a suitable attachment if the manufacturer provides one.
Entering a trailer also means driving up a slope, often the dock plate itself: the forklift stability page reminds you to keep the load on the uphill side.