Can you lift people with a forklift? Man cages, telehandlers and LOLER
Only in exceptional, unplanned situations, and only in a purpose-made working platform (a “man cage”) secured to the truck. For any planned work at height, HSE says use a MEWP such as a scissor lift instead. Never lift people on the forks, on a pallet, or in a bucket or potato box. Any truck used to lift people needs a LOLER thorough examination at least every 6 months.
Forklifts and telehandlers are built to lift materials, not people. That’s the starting point for everything HSE says on this. A cage on the forks can be used, but only in narrow circumstances, and never as the normal way of getting someone up to a high shelf or a gutter.
What’s allowed and what isn’t
Method | Allowed? | LOLER examination | Worth knowing |
Person standing on the forks or on a pallet | Never | HSE has found pallets on forks unsafe | |
Person in a bucket, potato box, bale or stillage | Never | HSE has served prohibition notices for this on farms | |
Non-integrated cage on a forklift (controls on the truck) | Only for exceptional, unplanned work | Truck and cage at least every 6 months while used for people | HSE’s guidance PM28 sets the standard. Not for planned work |
Integrated work platform on a telehandler (controls in the platform) | Yes, if approved by the manufacturer for that machine | At least every 6 months | Treated much like a MEWP |
Scissor lift or other MEWP | Yes. The right choice for planned work | At least every 6 months | Controls are in the platform, with the person doing the work |
What counts as “exceptional”?
HSE’s lift truck guidance is clear: non-integrated platforms are for occasional, unplanned use only, and using them for planned work isn’t allowed. HSE’s own example of an exceptional circumstance is a rescue.
So:
Not exceptional: changing light fittings in the warehouse every few months, stocktaking on the top racking, cleaning gutters, regular maintenance. These are planned, so use a MEWP.
Possibly exceptional: a one-off, unforeseen job that has to be done now, where a MEWP really can’t be got in time and the risk has been assessed.
If you find yourself using the cage every month, it isn’t exceptional any more. Buy or hire a scissor lift.
If you do use a cage
HSE’s guidance on non-integrated platforms (PM28) sets out how it should be done. The key points:
the cage must be designed for the job and suitable for that particular truck
it must be securely attached to the truck or the forks
the tilt function should be locked off, and HSE also mentions check valves as an additional safety measure
the truck operator stays at the controls the whole time, and can see and communicate with the person in the cage
the job is planned through a risk assessment, with trained people and proper supervision
These cages fall outside the machinery rules for new equipment, so they shouldn’t carry a CE or UKCA mark as a “machine”. That’s one reason to buy from a reputable supplier who works to PM28.
The LOLER side
Lifting people moves the equipment into LOLER’s stricter group. HSE says equipment used to lift people must be thoroughly examined at least every 6 months, or as set in an examination scheme. That applies to the truck while it’s used this way, and to the cage itself.
So a forklift that’s normally on a 12-month examination drops to 6 months if you keep a man cage for it. Tell your examiner, because the examination needs to cover the cage, its attachment to the truck, and the truck’s controls and safety devices for lifting people.
More on the truck itself in does a forklift need a LOLER inspection?
On farms
This comes up more on farms than anywhere else. A telehandler or forklift is right there, and the job is “only five minutes”. HSE has investigated and taken action where people were lifted in potato boxes on forklift forks, or worked from pallets on the tines, and served prohibition notices on lifting people without a suitable cage.
If your telehandler’s manufacturer offers an approved integrated platform for that machine, that’s the safer route. Otherwise, hire a MEWP for the day. It costs less than you’d think, and far less than an injury.
Getting it examined
We examine forklifts, telehandlers, cages, working platforms and MEWPs for warehouses, farms and factories across Nottingham, Leicester, Loughborough and across the Midlands. We also travel anywhere in the UK.
Every examination is carried out and signed by me, Ryan Leavesley MSOE MBES, an engineer surveyor with over 14 years’ experience. We don’t sell, hire or repair trucks or cages, so we’re never checking our own work. Reports are written on site before I leave, and once we’ve agreed a price, it stays fixed for all your ongoing examinations.
See also does a MEWP need a LOLER inspection?, and our forklift and telehandler inspection pages. Or tell us what you’ve got and we’ll come back with a fixed quote.
FAQs
Can you lift people with a forklift?
Only in exceptional, unplanned situations, using a purpose-made working platform securely attached to the truck. HSE says non-integrated platforms can’t be used for planned work, which should be done from a MEWP such as a scissor lift.
Is it legal to stand on forklift forks?
No. Nobody should ever be lifted standing on the forks or on a pallet. HSE has found this unsafe and has served prohibition notices for lifting people without a suitable platform.
What is a non-integrated working platform?
A cage or platform fitted to a forklift’s forks, where the truck operator controls the lift rather than the person in the platform. HSE’s guidance PM28 says these are for occasional, unplanned use only.
How often does a forklift used to lift people need a LOLER inspection?
At least every 6 months, rather than the usual 12, because it’s being used to lift people. The cage itself needs examining too. An examination scheme drawn up by a competent person can set different intervals.
Can a telehandler be used to lift people?
Yes, with an integrated work platform approved by the manufacturer for that machine, where the person in the platform has the controls. It then needs a thorough examination at least every 6 months. Never lift people in a bucket or on the forks.
What should I use instead of a forklift cage?
For planned work at height, a MEWP such as a scissor lift or boom, where the controls are in the platform with the person doing the job. They can be hired by the day if you don’t need one often.
Does a forklift man cage need a CE mark?
No. HSE’s PM28 guidance says non-integrated platforms fall outside the machinery rules for new equipment and shouldn’t be CE marked as machinery. Buy from a supplier who builds them to PM28 and for your truck.
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