Purpose: To ensure and improve the level of safety and protection of the workforce, and also to protect the country's human resources and material resources, make workplace environments safe, and prevent accidents leading to bodily injury and financial loss, the provisions of this Regulation have been drawn up pursuant to Article 85 of the Labour Act of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Forklift truck: a machine having a mast, forks and attachments, designed and manufactured according to the type of activity for the transport, movement and storage of loads of various shapes and capacities, and that uses fossil fuel, gas or electricity appropriate to the type of work and environment.
Capacity: the maximum permissible safe load that is moved by the forklift truck and that is stated by the manufacturer on the machine's specification plate.
Attachments of the forklift truck: all equipment that is added to the forklift truck's mast or forks by the forklift truck manufacturer, in accordance with the necessary standards, for carrying and moving specific loads.
Control devices: equipment such as gauges, controllers and speed indicators, by means of which the condition and performance of the forklift truck are monitored and controlled.
Definitions
General Provisions
Forklift operators shall complete the necessary training on the correct operating procedure and safe performance of the forklift truck, and shall also hold a forklift-specific operator licence.
Forklift operators shall use personal protective equipment appropriate to the type of work while working.
Carrying and transporting workers and other unrelated persons by forklift truck is prohibited.
The use of a seatbelt while operating a forklift truck is mandatory.
If the forklift truck or its load becomes unbalanced or overturns for any reason, the operator shall not leave the cabin until the hazard has been completely eliminated.
The arrangement of products and materials along travel paths and workplace intersections shall be such that the operator has adequate visibility.
The forklift truck's operating and travel area within the workplace shall be clearly and distinctly marked.
Movement of workers and unrelated persons within the forklift truck's travel area is prohibited.
The employer shall designate the passage routes for workers and unrelated persons by creating painted points and lines.
The forklift truck's speed limit on all routes shall be specified and displayed on guidance and warning signs.
Exit doors, channels, obstacles, guards and columns located within the workplace premises that lie on forklift truck travel routes shall be painted in such a way that they are easily visible.
The colour of the forklift truck's body shall be clearly distinct from the colour of its surroundings.
Forklift operators shall travel along designated routes while observing traffic laws and regulations.
Stopping the forklift truck in front of gas, electrical, and fire-fighting installations, emergency stairways, elevators, and rescue equipment is prohibited.
Movement of the forklift truck is permitted only if its forks are lowered to the lowest possible position.
While operating a forklift truck, operators shall refrain from acts such as eating, drinking, smoking, talking on a mobile phone, using sedative medication, and any horseplay or unsafe acts that cause loss of concentration.
The forklift truck's operating area shall be completely smooth, level, of adequate strength, and free of any slipperiness.
Using the forklift truck and its attachments to carry or move loads exceeding the permissible safe capacity is prohibited.
The employer shall use a forklift truck and attachments that are sound, safe, and appropriate to the workplace conditions and the type of load.
When carrying and moving loads for which the operator does not have adequate visibility, selecting safe methods for moving the load is mandatory.
Carrying and moving long or unstable loads shall be performed at the lowest possible height and in observance of all safety requirements.
Moving and carrying a load in a manner that causes the forklift truck to become unbalanced is prohibited.
Carrying persons or adding counterweights at the rear of the forklift truck to create balance is prohibited.
Sudden braking of the forklift truck to unload a load is strictly prohibited.
To move a load, it shall not be pushed forward with the forklift truck's forks.
Using two or more forklift trucks to carry a single load, or to increase operating height, is prohibited.
The forklift operator shall receive the necessary training on how to use the attachments, and documentation of this training shall be recorded and kept in their file.
The forklift operator shall acquire the necessary knowledge of the type, volume, weight, centre of gravity, and correct method of carrying the load, and shall ensure that the travel routes are safe.
Inspection of all parts of the forklift truck and its attachments by the operator before the start of each work shift is mandatory.
Technical inspection of all parts of the forklift truck and its attachments after any repairs and at intervals in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions is mandatory, and the results shall be recorded and kept in the forklift truck's file.
Each forklift truck shall have a file containing the manufacturer's instructions as well as records of technical inspections, repairs, and maintenance methods.
Using the forklift truck or its components as a ladder or as a work platform for workers is strictly prohibited.
Carrying persons on the forklift truck's forks or on pallets is prohibited.
The forklift truck shall be equipped with a safe operator cabin, seatbelt, warning light, alarm, reverse-gear horn, side mirrors, and control equipment, and shall also be equipped with suitable front and rear lights of sufficient brightness for working in darkness.
Movement and operation of forklift trucks near high-voltage power lines is permitted only in compliance with the regulations governing the clearance zones of power transmission and distribution lines.
The forklift operator shall refrain from operating the forklift truck with hands or shoes that are wet, oily, or contaminated with slippery substances.
Under no circumstances shall the operator's or other workers' body parts be placed between the forklift truck's moving parts.
Specific Provisions
Before leaving the forklift truck, it is mandatory to lower the forks to the ground, apply the parking brake, turn off the engine and the master switch, and remove the key from the ignition.
Transporting the forklift truck between floors shall be carried out using a load-carrying hoist appropriate to the weight and dimensions of the forklift truck; in this case, turning off the engine, lowering the forks, and applying the parking brake is mandatory.
For moving non-uniform loads, determining the centre of gravity is mandatory, and this centre of gravity shall be positioned in the middle of the forks.
Performing any repair work, including welding, on the body, forks, and attachments of the forklift truck for the purpose of eliminating cracks and surface wear is prohibited; where necessary, this shall only be permitted under the supervision of the manufacturer.
To move loads that are not fully stable on the forklift truck's forks, pallets suited to their type, material, and volume shall be used.
Tilting the mast to a negative angle to prevent the load from falling off the forklift truck's forks is mandatory.
Placing the tips of the forks on the ground to unload the load is mandatory.
While the forklift truck is moving or running, no one other than the operator is permitted to be present on the body or inside the cabin.
Presence, movement, and performance of any operational or repair work under the forks or attachments of the forklift truck is prohibited.
In confined spaces lacking a suitable ventilation system, the use of internal-combustion-engine forklift trucks is prohibited, and electric forklift trucks shall be used instead.
When replacing or charging the forklift truck's gas cylinder, and when replacing or inspecting the battery of an electric forklift truck, the responsible workers shall be equipped with personal protective equipment appropriate to the type of work.
Charging the battery of electric forklift trucks shall be carried out in the presence of the responsible person.
The forklift truck's seat shall have suitable ergonomic conditions, shall be continuously inspected, and shall be repaired or replaced if any defect or fault is observed.
The roof and body of the forklift truck's cabin shall have sufficient strength and, taking into account the type of work and environmental conditions, shall ensure the operator's safety.
For carrying ladles of molten material, forklift trucks that are designed and manufactured for this purpose shall be used.
Stopping gas-powered forklift trucks near open flames, stairwells, basement entrances, sewer drains, service pits, and any locations where gases from a leaking forklift truck gas cylinder could accumulate is prohibited.
The gas valve of a gas-powered forklift truck's cylinder shall be closed whenever the forklift truck is switched off.
To prevent the risk of explosion and fire, replacement of gas cylinders shall be carried out with the engine off, outside any enclosed workplace area, under the supervision of the workplace supervisor, and in compliance with all safety regulations.
When carrying and moving loads on a downward slope, the forklift operator is permitted to travel only in reverse gear.
Other Provisions
Installing a metal plate containing the technical specifications on the body of the forklift truck is mandatory.
Compliance with the manufacturer's instructions for all operation and repair activities of the forklift truck is mandatory.
Loads that are liable to spill, slip, or slide shall be securely restrained before being carried.
Stacking loads on top of one another or placing them inside racks shall be appropriate to their load capacity and strength.
Obtaining annual technical inspection certification of forklift trucks from the manufacturer, or from official and accredited centres approved by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, is mandatory.
Using an open flame to detect gas leaks in gas-powered forklift trucks is strictly prohibited.
Pursuant to Article 88 of the Labour Act of the Islamic Republic of Iran, all importers, manufacturers, sellers, suppliers, and operators of forklift trucks shall comply with the production standard and the protective and safety requirements set out in the technical information booklet.
Responsibility for compliance with the provisions of this Regulation rests with the workplace employer, and in the event of any accident resulting from the employer's failure to observe the legal requirements, the employer shall be obligated to compensate all damages caused to the injured parties.