Loading a curtainsider or flatbed places the forklift in the open yard, and there may be the driver and other staff on foot nearby. This situation is often exacerbated if it has been raining. Ensuring the forklift is easy to notice with blue spots and or perimeter lighting, locking the machines functions when the operator is not in the seat, and speed limiting features help in keeping everyone safe. This does not replace the site’s loading rules, but it makes them easier to follow.
This guide goes through each of those, using the Hyundai Forklifts 25/30/35BE-X electric counterbalance range as the example.
Australian industry guidance recommends a loading and unloading exclusion zone (LUEZ). The truck driver waits in a driver safety zone within the operator’s view, and loading stops if the driver moves out of sight. For curtainsiders and flatbeds, the zone covers both sides of the truck and the route around it.
With that in place, the forklift’s job is to be easy to notice for anyone else in the yard, and for the driver when they return at the end of loading.
An electric forklift is quieter than an internal combustion forklift. Whilst being easier on the drivers through less noise emissions, people nearby may not hear it coming. Blue Spot and Red Zone lamps project light onto the ground around the machine. They stand out most in low light, under cover and in the evening, and are harder to see on bright concrete in full sun. An LED beacon is also fitted on all machines.
Panorama mirrors are standard, and side mirrors on both sides can be added. They give the operator a second view along the truck, on top of looking in the direction of travel as operators are trained to do. The machines can also be fitted with optional forward and reverse cameras and or pedestrian detection devises.
Yes. The BE-X drive and pump motors are IP54-rated against dust and splashing water, and the traction motor sits enclosed within a single drive axle rather than exposed underneath. The controller is rated IP65, the hydraulic control lever uses sealed micro switches, and the key switch has a sealed cap. All of this is standard. That lets one machine unload in the yard and carry pallets into the warehouse without bringing exhaust fumes inside.
Ground clearance under the mast is 142 mm, so the BE-X is at home on concrete, asphalt and compacted hardstand. Solid tyres are standard, and pneumatic tyres are available on the 25BE-X and 30BE-X for rougher surfaces.
The standard anti roll-back system stops the forklift rolling back after it comes to a stop on an incline, which helps when stopping and starting again on a slope. The parking brake still goes on before the operator leaves the seat.
For loading into the evening, front or front and rear LED work lamps light up the deck and the ground around the truck.
Forks matched to your pallets make ground loading easier. When forks are too long for the pallet, the tips can reach into the next pallet or the curtain on the far side, where the operator can’t see them.
The BE-X comes with 1,070 mm forks, and forks of 900mm up to 2,400 mm are available, so fork length can be matched to the pallets you handle. Longer forks suit long loads or carrying two pallets end to end.
Pallets on the far side of the deck are reached by driving around the truck, inside the marked zone, with the driver in view. Fork length and a sideshift both change the rated capacity, so your dealer will check the load chart for the setup you choose.
Operators get off the forklift during a load for ordinary reasons, such as checking paperwork with the driver at handover. The routine is to lower the forks, select neutral and apply the parking brake first.
The standard BE-X seat has an operator presence switch. The Operator Presence Sensing System (OPSS) for travel and mast goes further and locks out driving, lifting and tilting once the seat is empty. It is a backup for the moment that routine gets rushed. A seatbelt interlock with sequencing is also standard.
The BE-X lets the site set a maximum travel speed through the digital cluster as standard. The operator can’t go above it, so the top speed is limited by this feature. An additional speed limit feature kicks in automatically when the forks are raised above free lift, reducing travel speed to 3 km/h t. That covers the moment a pallet comes off a high deck.
| Situation | BE-X feature | What it helps with | What it doesn’t replace |
|---|---|---|---|
| People on foot in the yard | Travel alarm, Blue Spot and Red Zone lamps, LED beacon (options) | Makes a quiet forklift easier to notice, with lighting and exclusion lighting | LUEZ and driver safety zone |
| Operator’s view along the truck | Panorama mirror (standard), side mirrors (option) | A second view along the deck | Looking in the direction of travel |
| Yard and warehouse work | IP54 motors, enclosed traction motor, IP65 controller, sealed switches (standard) | One machine on yards and indoors, no exhaust inside | A sealed, drained yard surface |
| Sloping yards | Anti roll-back (standard) | Stops rolling back after a stop | Parking brake before leaving the seat |
| Evening loading | LED work lamps (option) | Clear view of the deck and ground | Yard lighting |
| Matching pallets and loads | Fork lengths from 900 to 2,400 mm (option) | Forks sized to pallets and long loads | Driving around to reach the far side, load chart check |
| Operator leaving the seat | Operator Presence switch (standard), OPSS and seatbelt interlock (options) | Locks travel and mast if the shutdown is rushed | Forks down, neutral, parking brake |
| Speed | Speed cap and slow mode (standard), 3 km/h raised fork limit (option) | Site-wide top speed held by the machine | Slower travel beside the truck |
Confirm the exact specification with your local Hyundai Forklifts dealer.
This article is part of our truck loading safety series. For loading vans, reefers and shipping containers at a dock, read Choosing a forklift for safer dock and container loading/unloading.
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