as-2359-2

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Always use Australian English spelling (e.g. organisation, programme, centre, colour, defence).
5. If a clause cannot be located in these files, state this explicitly. Do not guess or reconstruct clause content from memory.
6. 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).
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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

1. Identify the subject matter from the user's query — is it a clause lookup, a compliance check, or a general question about truck operations?
2. 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.
3. 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).
4. Cite clauses accurately from the extracted text. Include clause numbers as they appear in the source files.
5. 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).
6. 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.
7. 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.