START HEREView Counterbalanced Lift Truck
Counterbalanced Lift Truck
The standard counterbalanced lift truck, and the first ticket a forklift operator holds.
Duration5 days
FeeR6 010
What you need to know about forklift training
Four things decide what you book and when you book it again.
By class
A forklift certificate covers a machine class, not forklifts in general. An operator ticketed on a standard counterbalanced lift truck is not certified on one over 15 tons.
24 months
How long the certificate lasts. After that the operator takes a one-day refresher at R1 204 rather than the full course again.
5 days
Both courses run over five days at R6 010. The fee includes training, assessment and a certificate you can download.
The law behind it is general rather than forklift-specific. Sections 8 and 13 of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 85 of 1993 require an employer to provide a safe system of work and to give employees the training and supervision they need to work safely. On a mine, section 10 of the Mine Health and Safety Act 29 of 1996 goes further and requires training before a change in occupation — which is exactly what moving an operator onto a different machine is.
The two forklift courses compared
Same duration, same fee, same refresher. The difference is the machine the certificate covers.
| Counterbalanced Lift Truck | Over 15 Tons | |
|---|---|---|
| Certifies on | The standard counterbalanced lift truck | A counterbalanced lift truck in excess of 15 tons |
| Duration | 5 days | 5 days |
| Fee | R6 010 | R6 010 |
| Refresher | 1 day — R1 204 | 1 day — R1 204 |
| Certificate | Valid 24 months | Valid 24 months |
| Who it suits | Warehouse, yard and depot operators, and anyone getting their first forklift ticket | Operators put on heavy machines, where load behaviour, stopping distance and visibility all change |
Read the full detail on Forklift Training and on Counterbalanced Lift Truck over 15 Tons.
Which forklift course should you do?
Start from the machine the operator will be put on when they get back to site.
IF
You have never held a forklift ticket
Start with the standard counterbalanced lift truck course. It is the entry certificate for a forklift operator.
Forklift Training →IF
Your yard runs a machine over 15 tons
You need the heavy class ticket as well. The standard certificate does not cover it, however experienced the operator is.
Over 15 Tons →IF
Your operator’s certificate is expiring
Book the one-day refresher at R1 204 before the 24 months is up, not after.
Enquire →A typical forklift training route
Most operators move through forklift training in this order.
1
Forklift Training — the standard counterbalanced lift truck, and the first ticket an operator holds.
2
Over 15 Tons — added when the operator is moved onto a heavy machine.
+
Refresher every 24 months — one day, R1 204, on each class the operator holds.
Training outside Limpopo?
Individuals train at our centre at 11 Van Riebeeck Street, Mokopane. We do not provide accommodation.
Companies can book a group and we train on your own site anywhere in South Africa, on the machines your operators actually run. Mines, construction companies and municipalities across most of South Africa have booked groups this way. Group size and travel are quoted per booking. Full detail is on on-site training.
Forklift course FAQs
How much is forklift training at Fundza?
R6 010 for five days, and the same for the over-15-ton course. The fee includes VAT, training, assessment and a certificate you can download. The refresher is one day at R1 204. Group bookings on your own site are quoted per booking.
How long is a forklift certificate valid?
24 months. After that the operator takes the one-day refresher at R1 204 to renew, on each machine class they hold. Book it before the expiry date rather than after, because an operator whose ticket has lapsed should not be on the machine.
Does one forklift ticket cover every forklift?
No. The certificate covers a machine class. An operator certified on a standard counterbalanced lift truck is not certified on one in excess of 15 tons, and an auditor checking certificates against your plant list will read the class on the certificate rather than the years on the CV.
Can an experienced operator go straight to the refresher?
Only if they already hold a valid or recently expired certificate for that machine class. An operator who has never been certified on the class takes the full five-day course, however long they have been driving.
Can you train our operators at our own premises?
Yes, anywhere in South Africa. For forklift training that is often the better option, because operators are assessed on the machines, loads and ground conditions they will actually work on. Group size and travel are quoted per booking.
