How To Get Forklift Licence in SA, Australia

Licencing of forklift operators in South Australia is stipulated in the Work Health and Safety Act of 2012. This law must be strictly complied with by all employers for their workers and by all applicants before applying for a forklift driving position. The law makes certainties that all forklift drivers is performing their work with competence.

If you don’t hold a licence and you are planning to apply, here’s what you need to do:

How to Get New Forklift Licence in SA

1. Chose which type of truck you want to operate. You have two options: a forklift or an order picker. If you choose to be trained on a standard forklift (excluding load shifting, order-picking truck), you need an LF licence. On the other hand, if you want to be competent driving order-pickers, load-shifting or turret trucks, you need an LO licence.
   
   
2. You must undergo a training course to become competent to perform forklift operation which is considered a high-risk work. To do this, enroll in a registered training organization (RTO) in South Australia. The list of RTOs is listed below for your reference. The training can also be done on-site.
   
   
3. The course is composed of formal training and hands-on operation. After you’ve completed the course, you will then be assessed by a certified SafeWork SA assessor and need to pass the written exam and practical test.
   
   
4. After the assessment, the assessor will issue you notice of satisfactory assessment (NSA), certification of attainment and a tax invoice.
5. To apply for high-risk work (HRW) licence, you will then have to submit these documents to Service SA Customer Service Centre or Australia Post outlet within sixty days. Additional requirements are 100 points of identification, sample signature, recent photo to be taken, and application fee.
   
   
6. Your application will be processed, and the HRW licence will be mailed to you in the address you stated in the application. The licence has 5-year validity.

Approved Training Organisations (RTO) in South Australia

• Forklift Quality Training - 3/520 Grand Jct Rd, Angle Park SA 5010, Australia, Call: +61 8 8244 4958
• Seaton Training - Phone: +61 3 5433 6223
• Top End Training - 123 Swanport Rd, Murray Bridge SA 5253, P: +61 1800 867 363
• TAFE SA Ceduna - 22 Decres Bay Rd, Ceduna SA 5690, Australia
• Holmesglen Institute of TAFE - Phone: +61 1300 639 888
• Red Earth Training Solutions - 336 Diment Rd, Burton SA 5110, Phone: +61 8 8280 3439
• Natwide Personnel Pty Ltd - 126-140 Churchill Rd N, Dry Creek SA 5094, Phone: +61 8 8360 2379
• Access Training Centre Pty Ltd - 7 La Salle St, Dudley Park SA 5008, Phone: +61 8 8169 9800
• Australian Workplace Training Pty Ltd - Elizabeth City Centre, 50 Elizabeth Way, Elizabeth SA 5112, Phone:+61 8 8282 7600
• TAFE SA Adelaide North Institute - 120 Currie St, Adelaide SA 5000, Phone: +61 8 8207 8200
• Regional Transport Training Services - 1, Old Mill Rd E, Nuriootpa SA 5360, Phone: +61 8 8562 2258
• Heavy Equipment Training and Assessment Pty Ltd - 35 Caswell Dr, Hallett Cove SA 5158, Phone: +61 8 8322 8289
• SA Plant Operator Training - 3 Refinery Rd, Lonsdale SA 5160, Australia, +61 8 8387 7779
• Transport Training Centre (SA) Inc - 9 Mill Ct, Kilburn SA 5084, Phone:+61 8 8133 1200
• Allan Miller Transport Training - 1 Senna Road, Wingfield SA 5013, (08) 8186 7200, (08) 8186 7211
• South Australian Plant Operator Training - 3 Refinery Rd, Lonsdale SA 5160, Phone: +61 8 8387 7779
• TIME Education and Training - 83/87 Henley Beach Rd, Mile End SA 5031, Phone: +61 8 8351 9888
• TAFE SA Mount Barker - 3-5 Dumas St, Mount Barker SA 5251, Phone: +61 8 8391 7333
• Tide Training Pty Ltd - 8 Graham Road, Mt Gambier, South Australia, 5290, P: 08 8723 0838, Call: 1300 843 387
• Logging Investigation & Training Association Inc - Mount Gambier South Australia, Phone: 08 8735 1474, Fax: 08 8735 1453
• Australian Civil & Mining Training Pty Ltd. - 27-29 Veitch Rd, Osborne SA 5017, Phone: +61 8 8240 5523
• Industries Services Training Pty Ltd trading as ISAustralia - 1381 Main North Rd, Para Hills West, South Australia
• Oz Training Solutions Pty Ltd - 6 Todd St., Port Adelaide SA 5015, Phone: 0417838413
• Construction Industry Training Centre Inc - 491-499 South Rd, Regency Park SA 5010, Phone: +61 8 8301 4500
• TAFE SA Regency Campus - 137 Days Rd, Regency Park SA 5010, Phone: +61 8 8348 4444
• MTA Training & Employment Centre - 3 Frederick Road, Royal Park SA 5014, Phone: 08 8241 0522, Fax: 08 8291 2099
• Crown Lift Trucks - 5/7 Capelli Rd, Wingfield SA 5013, Phone: +61 1300 072 752
• Civil Contractors Federation – 1 South Rd, Thebarton SA 5031, Phone: +61 8 8111 8000
• Transform Training Pty Ltd - 4 BOX 55, 5046 Adelaide - Oaklands Park, South Australia, Phone: 0439 505 473
• Career Employment Group Inc - 80 Cartledge Ave, Whyalla Norrie SA 5608, Phone: +61 1300 885 697
• BJ Network Consulting Australia - 259 Hanson Rd, Wingfield SA 5013, Phone: +61 8 8345 1511
• G & L Heavy Vehicle Driving Centre - No 4 Hines Rd., Wingfield SA 5013, Phones: 83590099, 0411667830
• ATEC - 275 Grand Junction Road, OTTOWAY, South Australia, Phone: 1300 112 832
• Red Earth Training Solutions - 336 Diment Rd, Burton SA 5110, Phone: 08 8280 3439
• Australian Civil and Mining Training - 27 Veitch Road, Osborne, SA 5017, ph: 08 8240 5523, m: 041 88 99 125
• CITB - 78 Richmond Road, Keswick SA 5035, 1800 739 839, (08) 8172 9500

If you are looking for an RTO and don't know how to choose, here's a guide to help you:

• How to Choose Forklift Training School
  

Who Qualifies to Take the Forklift Training

• Those student age 18 years and above
• Able to speak and write English
• Literate to make calculation
• Able to present proof of identity
• Other requirements that may be deemed necessary are wearing of PPEs, long sleeve shirt safety vest, and pants.

Course Lectures and Practical Tasks to Perform

Class lectures cover the following:

• Introduction
• WorkSafe SA current rules and regulations
• Workplace Safety
• Occupational and health policy
• Codes of Practice
• Parts of forklift
• Types of forklift trucks
• Forklift manufacturer’s specification
• Hazard analysis at the workplace
• How to plan work
• Load capacity calculations
• Safe Operations
• Post operation check

Practical Assessment Tasks:

• Pre-operation check
• Inspection
• Techniques and principles
• Working in confined space
• Forward and backward maneuvering
• Shifting of loads
• Calculate hazard and risk
• Load calculation
• Moving of materials at height
• Driving on uneven road surface
• Parking
• Post-operation check

Who Qualifies to Apply for High-Risk Work Forklift Licence

• Those who have competency training and assessment taken from certified RTO. If you took your training from RTO in another state or territory, you are required to apply for an HRW licence to WorkSafe Regulator of that state or territory.
• Resident of South Australia. If you reside in nearby state and very close to WorkSafe SA, you could use this as justification to apply for licence in SA.
• Those who have expired certificate of competency
• Those who are a temporary ticket holder.
• Those whose current licence is not suspended or canceled
• Applicant with Unique Student Identifier
• Applicant ages 18 years old and older
• You cannot apply if you’re a holder of a valid licence issued by another state or territory unless licence is expired and the holder intends to renew it in SA.
• You cannot apply if you already been disqualified by WorkSafe of other states or territories.
• You cannot apply if you violate WHS rules and found guilty.

How Much Does It Cost to Get Trained

If you’re a beginner, the cost will depend on which licence you want to apply for. If you want to apply for an LO licence, the cost of taking a training course ranges from $300-$350. If you want to apply for an LF licence the cost for completing the course on this is slightly higher.

The course usually lasts for only 2-3 days including the training and assessment. If the assessor is available, you can complete the course in as short as 2 days.

Converting to Nationally Recognized HRW Licence

If you’re a holder of a certificate of competency, a notice of assessment or interim ticket issued between January 1, 2005, and August 31, 2010, you need to convert it to HRW licence before its expiration.

To convert, call SafeWork SA on 1300 365 255, during this process, they will ask you about your qualifications and other details. After verification, they will mail you tax invoice that need to be paid within 60 days .

For those holders with licence issued by other state or territory intending to apply for HRW licence in South Australia must complete application form for Conversion of Interstate Qualifications.

Licence Renewal

To renew your licence, you have two ways to do it, either by visiting the SafeWork Client Portal or by calling this number 1300 365 255. 

You won’t miss getting your licence renewed because the SafeWork SA will send you a notification, a sort of reminder within 30 days prior to the expiration of your current licence. The notification comes in SMS, email your post.

As of this writing, the licence renewal fee is $85, this covers all classes you want to renew.

Again, licence renewal is done every 5 years.

If you are in Adelaide the application and renewal process is the same.