Certification Requirements for Pallet Truck Operators in the UK

Carey
3 days ago
4 min read

Pallet trucks are everywhere: shop floors, loading bays, warehouses, hospitals, and back-of-house areas. But what do operators actually need in terms of certification or training to use them legally and safely?

This guide covers hand (manual) pallet trucks, powered pallet trucks (PPTs), and ride-on/stand-on variants.

At a glance

There is no government “licence” for pallet trucks - employers must ensure adequate training and keep records.
Accredited certificates are common but not mandatory; competence is the legal test.
Refresher training should be risk-based (many use 3 to 5 years) and triggered by incidents, changes or infrequent use.
PUWER applies to all pallet trucks. LOLER thorough examination applies to high-lift types (or those lifting above roughly 300 mm).

What counts as a “pallet truck”?

There are three broad categories, each with different risks and training needs.

Hand pallet truck (HPT): Manual pump-action, low lift - just enough to clear the floor.
Powered pallet truck (PPT): Electric lift/drive, usually pedestrian-operated (walk-behind).
Ride-on/stand-on pallet truck: Operator platform, higher travel speeds, more site-specific risk.

Training should match the exact model and the environment. A sensible structure is basic training, job-specific training, then supervised familiarisation on your site.

Is there a “licence” to operate?

The short answer is no. The UK doesn’t issue state licences for workplace vehicles. Employers must ensure each operator is trained and formally authorised in writing for the specific truck(s), attachments and areas of use.

Why many businesses still choose accredited courses:

Recognised syllabuses aligned to good practice
Independent assessment of skills
Easier to evidence competence during audits or investigations

Keep copies of training certificates and a simple authorisation to operate card or letter for each person.

What good pallet-truck training includes

A solid course is practical, site-specific, and assessed. Expect to cover:

Responsibilities and rules: employer/employee duties, site traffic plans
Controls and limitations: stability, braking, gradients, floor conditions
Load handling: pallet types, load centres, stacked/unstable loads, racking interface
People and visibility: corners, doorways, shared spaces, signalling
Battery care & charging (for PPTs); safe manual handling (for HPTs)
Pre-use checks, defects, and reporting
Assessment: a practical test and short knowledge check

Build in time for familiarisation on the actual routes, doors, ramps and racking your team will use.

Refresher and conversion training

There’s no fixed legal expiry date for certificates. Instead, plan refreshers when risk suggests they’re needed:

After an incident or near miss
When behaviours slip or unsafe habits are observed
If the workplace, loads, or equipment change
For infrequent users
On a time interval set in your risk assessment (commonly 3–5 years)

Moving from one type to another (e.g., HPT → PPT, pedestrian → ride-on) calls for conversion training and updated authorisation.

Age, supervision and new starters

Young workers (16-18) can operate pallet trucks if your risk assessment supports it and they’re properly trained and supervised. New starters, including agency staff, shouldn’t be left alone until familiarisation is complete and written authorisation is issued.

PUWER vs LOLER: what applies to which truck?

PUWER (always):

Applies to all pallet trucks.
Requires safe equipment, sensible inspection and maintenance, and operator pre-use checks.
Defects must be reported and unsafe trucks removed from service.

LOLER (when lifting higher):

Applies to high-lift pallet trucks or trucks that lift above roughly 300 mm.
Requires a thorough examination by a competent person at suitable intervals (often annually; sooner in harsh service).
Standard low-lift hand or powered pallet trucks that only raise a pallet just off the floor typically do not need LOLER, but they still fall under PUWER.

Practical daily checks to build into your routine:

Forks and tips (damage, cracks)
Hydraulics (leaks, smooth lift/lower)
Wheels/rollers (flat spots, debris)
Steering and brakes (including emergency stop on PPTs)
Horn/alerts and visibility aids
Battery/charger/plug condition (for PPTs)
Guards, labels and capacity markings

Records worth keeping (and why)

Keeping tidy paperwork makes audits simpler and speeds up incident investigations.

Operator training certificates (initial, conversion, refresher)
Written authorisations to operate - by truck type/attachment/area
Risk assessments and safe-system-of-work instructions
Pre-use checklists, defect reports and maintenance logs
Thorough examination reports (where LOLER applies)

Choosing a training route: in-house or external?

For hand pallet trucks in lower-risk settings, in-house training by a competent person can be appropriate, provided it follows recognised standards and includes assessment.

For powered and ride-on pallet trucks, most employers prefer an accredited external provider, then add short site-specific familiarisation before issuing authorisation.

Things to consider

Complexity and speed of the truck
Traffic levels and pedestrian interaction
Operator experience and turnover
Insurance and customer audit expectations

Quick compliance checklist

List every pallet-truck type on site (hand, PPT, ride-on).
Provide training in three stages: basic → job-specific → familiarisation.
Issue written authorisations and keep copies with HR/HSQE.
Run pre-use checks and planned maintenance (PUWER).
Arrange LOLER for high-lift/above-300 mm models.
Schedule refresher/conversion training on risk-based intervals.

How Nationwide Handling can help

Keeping operators competent and your equipment compliant is easier when training and maintenance work hand in hand. We offer both - delivered by specialists who understand real-world warehouse pressures.

Service & maintenance:

Planned service visits every 6 or 12 months (application-dependent) to keep trucks safe, smooth and compliant.
Practical checks that matter: wheels and bearings cleaned, hydraulic oil condition checked, fork frames inspected for cracks, parts fitted where needed, and proof tests under load before a final sign-off.
Thorough Examinations for equipment that lifts over roughly 300 mm, covering both LOLER and PUWER elements; a certificate is issued on successful completion.
Calibration for pallet-truck scales (6 or 12 months), with test weights used to verify accuracy and a calibration certificate per asset.
Repair callouts prioritising first-fix to cut downtime, with a final safety inspection before handover.

Operator training:

On-site courses covering hand pallet trucks, powered pallet trucks and stackers.
Flexible formats for new starters and refreshers, priced per person (minimum three trainees per booking).
Sessions combine demonstrations with hands-on practice and continuous assessment. On completion, each participant receives a certificate (typically valid for three years).

Why combine both with us?

One partner for training, servicing, examinations and calibration.
Fewer gaps between what operators are taught and how equipment is maintained.
Clear paper trail: training certificates, authorisations, service reports, LOLER and calibration certificates in one place.

Ready to align training with maintenance? Email sales@nationwidehandling.co.uk or call us to schedule your next service or book a course.