By name: as-2359-2 description: "Technical reference for AS 2359.2—2013 (Powered industrial trucks — Part 2: Operations). Use this skill when the user asks about powered industrial truck operations, forklift safety requirements, operator training and qualifications, truck maintenance, workplace design for truck operations, or when an action skill needs to verify or cite specific clauses of AS 2359.2—2013."
AS 2359.2—2013 — Powered Industrial Trucks — Part 2: Operations — Complete Reference
Purpose
This skill provides the complete text of AS 2359.2—2013, Powered industrial trucks — Part 2: Operations. It enables accurate clause lookup and compliance checking against the standard's requirements for the safe operation, maintenance, repair and modification of self-propelled industrial trucks and their attachments, and provides guidance for the design of workplaces in which they are used.
AS 2359.2 is an important technical standard for powered industrial truck (forklift) operations in Australia. The standard specifies requirements for the operation, training and qualifications of operators, maintenance and repair procedures, model operating procedures, and workplace design and site conditions. It addresses the complete safety framework including operator competency, safe systems of work, truck maintenance, and workplace design.
The standard is structured in six main sections. Section 1 sets out the scope, objectives and definitions. Section 2 covers the rules for operation including operator qualifications and training. Section 3 provides model operating procedures. Section 4 addresses procedures for particular truck types. Section 5 covers procedures relating to site conditions. Section 6 addresses maintenance, repair and modification.
Critical Rules
- Only cite clauses that appear in the section files. Never fabricate or assume clause numbers or content. If a clause cannot be located in these files, state that the specific clause should be verified against a current copy of the standard.
- Citation format: Use "Clause X.Y.Z" for individual clauses, e.g. "Clause 2.1 of AS 2359.2—2013" or "Clauses 3.5 to 3.10" for a range. For figures, use "Figure X.Y" or reference as "[FIGURE X — description]" where figures are not fully extracted.
- Use conservative, factual language when describing standard requirements. Avoid subjective interpretation — describe what the standard requires in objective terms. Use "the standard requires" or "Clause X.Y specifies" rather than interpretive language.
- Always use Australian English spelling (e.g. organisation, programme, centre, colour, defence).
- If a clause cannot be located in these files, state this explicitly. Do not guess or reconstruct clause content from memory.
- Distinguish between mandatory and recommended content. The standard uses "shall" for mandatory requirements and "should" for recommendations (as per Clauses 1.5.38 and 1.5.39).
- Distinguish between the standard and legislation. AS 2359.2 is a technical standard, not legislation. WHS Acts and Regulations are covered by separate skills. The standard may be referenced by or incorporated into workplace legislation.
- Note text extraction limitations. The reference files were extracted from a text conversion of the standard. Tables, figures, and diagrams may not be fully preserved. If a query depends on specific table data or figures, advise the user to verify against the published standard.
- Regulatory standing: AS 2359.2—2013 is a Category 4 (Advisory/Best Practice) standard. It is not directly mandated by specific legislation but represents recognised good practice for powered industrial truck operations. It is commonly referenced in workplace risk assessments and may be used as evidence of what is "reasonably practicable" under WHS legislation (see Regulatory Standing section below).
Section Index
Read the relevant section file(s) based on the subject matter of the query:
| File | Section | Key Clauses | When to Read |
|---|---|---|---|
sections/section-01-scope-and-general.md |
Section 1 — Scope and General | Clauses 1.1–1.5 | Scope of the standard (truck types covered), objective, innovation, referenced documents, definitions (Clause 1.5) — including definitions of key terms such as actual capacity, load centre distance, operator, unattended truck, work platform, etc. |
sections/section-02-rules-for-operation.md |
Section 2 — Rules for Operation | Clauses 2.1–2.7 | Operator qualifications (Clause 2.1), operator training and training records (Clause 2.2), operator authorisation (Clause 2.3), operating procedures (Clause 2.4), lifting of trucks, fuel handling and storage, battery handling and charging |
sections/section-03-model-operating-procedures.md |
Section 3 — Model Operating Procedures | Clauses 3.1–3.16 | Pre-operating check procedures (Clause 3.2), general rules for operators, general rules for users and supervisors, unattended trucks (Clause 3.5), travelling (Clause 3.6), handling and placing loads (Clause 3.7), lateral levelling, mast tilt, work platforms, jib attachments, suspended loads, restrictions, loading/unloading vehicles, lifts, refuelling |
sections/section-04-particular-trucks.md |
Section 4 — Procedures for Particular Trucks | Clauses 4.1–4.3 | Elevating operator trucks, automatically controlled trucks, freight container handling procedures |
sections/section-05-site-conditions.md |
Section 5 — Procedures Covering Site Conditions | Clauses 5.1–5.14 | Hazards (Clause 5.1), pedestrian access and fencing, safety signs and devices, guards, lighting, noise levels, atmospheric pollution, utility services, ground and floor surfaces, inclines, aisles, loading docks, bridgeplates, lifts |
sections/section-06-maintenance-repair-modification.md |
Section 6 — Maintenance, Repair and Modification | Clauses 6.1–6.10 | Scope of maintenance section (Clause 6.1), servicing (Clause 6.2), maintenance records (Clause 6.3), maintenance practices (Clause 6.4), operating condition, fork arm maintenance, replacement parts, modification, storage, purchasing |
Appendix Index
| File | Appendix | Content | When to Read |
|---|---|---|---|
sections/appendix-a-traffic-management-plans.md |
Appendix A | Traffic Management Plans (TMPs) for workplace control | When designing or implementing traffic control systems in workplaces where trucks operate |
sections/appendix-b-dynamic-stability.md |
Appendix B | Dynamic Stability requirements | When assessing truck stability or load handling parameters |
sections/appendix-c-glossary.md |
Appendix C | Glossary of additional terms | When encountering technical terminology not defined in the main clauses |
sections/appendix-d-noise-levels.md |
Appendix D | Noise levels and measurement guidance | When addressing noise hazards or truck noise compliance |
sections/appendix-e-enquiry-order-tender.md |
Appendix E | Enquiry, Order and Tender information | When specifying trucks for procurement or lease |
sections/appendix-f-travelling-backwards.md |
Appendix F | Travelling Backwards guidance | When establishing procedures for reversing trucks |
Regulatory Standing
AS 2359.2—2013 is a Category 4 — Advisory/Best Practice Standard. It is not directly mandated by specific legislation but represents recognised good practice for powered industrial truck operations. The standard is commonly referenced in workplace risk assessments and may be used as evidence of what is "reasonably practicable" under Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation.
Whilst not a legislatively mandated standard in most Australian jurisdictions, AS 2359.2 is widely recognised as the benchmark for safe truck operations. Compliance with the standard is often expected under:
- General WHS duty of care requirements to ensure the health and safety of workers and others
- Risk assessment obligations (where a truck operation creates a hazard, the risk control measures in the standard may be relevant)
- Due diligence requirements for officers and PCBU in managing risks
- Transport legislation or local authority requirements (some jurisdictions or workplace-specific regulations may reference the standard)
Always check jurisdiction-specific requirements, as some states or territories may incorporate elements of this standard by reference in their own legislation or regulations.
For full regulatory context, consult the relevant WHS Act and Regulations for your jurisdiction.
Workflow
- Identify the subject matter from the user's query — is it a clause lookup, a compliance check, or a general question about truck operations?
- Read the relevant section file(s) — consult the Section Index above to determine which file(s) to read. For most queries, one or two files will suffice. Read only what is needed.
- For compliance checking: Read the relevant section first to understand the applicable requirements. If the query involves specific operational procedures, check both the rules (Section 2) and model procedures (Section 3).
- Cite clauses accurately from the extracted text. Include clause numbers as they appear in the source files.
- Cross-reference where appropriate — some requirements span multiple sections (e.g. operator training requirements appear in Section 2 and may relate to workplace design requirements in Section 5).
- Flag limitations — if the query depends on table data or figures that may not be fully preserved in the text extraction, advise the user to verify against the published standard.
- Note on workplace design guidance — whilst this standard provides operational requirements, Appendix A addresses traffic management planning for workplaces.
Common Query Routing
| Query Topic | Primary Section(s) | Key Clauses |
|---|---|---|
| Operator qualifications / requirements | Section 2 | Clause 2.1 |
| Operator training requirements | Section 2 | Clause 2.2 |
| Operator authorisation / competency | Section 2 | Clause 2.3 |
| Operating procedures | Sections 2, 3 | Clauses 2.4, 3.3–3.4 |
| Pre-operation checks | Section 3 | Clause 3.2 |
| Unattended trucks — procedures | Section 3 | Clause 3.5 |
| Travelling with loads | Section 3 | Clause 3.6 |
| Handling and placing loads | Section 3 | Clause 3.7 |
| Mast tilt and lateral levelling | Section 3 | Clauses 3.8–3.9 |
| Work platforms and elevated work | Section 3 | Clause 3.12 |
| Jib attachments | Section 3 | Clause 3.13 |
| Suspended loads | Section 3 | Clause 3.14 |
| Loading/unloading vehicles | Section 3 | Clause 3.15 |
| Lifting — safe practices | Sections 2, 3 | Clauses 2.5, 3.13–3.14 |
| Battery handling and charging | Section 2 | Clause 2.7 |
| Fuel handling and storage | Section 2 | Clause 2.6 |
| Truck maintenance — general | Section 6 | Clauses 6.1–6.3 |
| Maintenance records | Section 6 | Clause 6.3 |
| Maintenance practices | Section 6 | Clause 6.4 |
| Fork arm maintenance | Section 6 | Clause 6.6 |
| Replacement parts | Section 6 | Clause 6.7 |
| Truck modification | Section 6 | Clause 6.8 |
| Elevating operator trucks | Section 4 | Clause 4.1 |
| Automatically controlled trucks | Section 4 | Clause 4.2 |
| Freight container handling | Section 4 | Clause 4.3 |
| Workplace hazards — trucks | Section 5 | Clause 5.1 |
| Pedestrian access / fencing | Section 5 | Clause 5.2 |
| Safety signs | Section 5 | Clause 5.3 |
| Guards and guarding | Section 5 | Clause 5.4 |
| Lighting for truck operations | Section 5 | Clause 5.5 |
| Noise levels | Section 5 + Appendix D | Clauses 5.6, Appendix D |
| Atmospheric pollution | Section 5 | Clause 5.7 |
| Utility services — hazards | Section 5 | Clause 5.8 |
| Ground surface requirements | Section 5 | Clause 5.9 |
| Inclines / slopes | Section 5 | Clause 5.10 |
| Aisles and passageways | Section 5 | Clause 5.11 |
| Loading docks | Section 5 | Clause 5.12 |
| Bridgeplates | Section 5 | Clause 5.13 |
| Lifts — truck use | Section 5 | Clause 5.14 |
| Traffic management planning | Appendix A | — |
| Travelling backwards | Appendix F | — |
| Definitions / terminology | Section 1 + Appendix C | Clause 1.5, Appendix C |
Version Information
- Standard: AS 2359.2—2013, Powered industrial trucks — Part 2: Operations
- Published: 13 February 2013
- Prepared by: Committee ME-026, Industrial Trucks (Standards Australia)
- Approved: 10 January 2013
- Source: Licensed copy, text extracted from standards document
- Extraction method: Full text extracted with page headers/footers and copyright notices removed
Note: This skill covers AS 2359.2—2013 only. For truck design and general requirements, refer to AS 2359.1. For safety requirements and verification of trucks, refer to AS 2359.6. For truck terminology and definitions, refer to AS 2359.7. For WHS legislative requirements, consult the relevant WHS Act and Regulations for your jurisdiction.