Vehicle & Equipment · Driver Training VideoLiftgate Safety

A liftgate looks simple — step on, hit the button, step off. That's exactly how people get hurt. It's a piece of moving machinery with a rated capacity, pinch points, and a hinge that doesn't care where your foot is.

Start before you ever touch the controls. Walk around the gate. Check the platform for cracks, bent hinges, or worn non-slip coating. Look at the hydraulic hoses and cylinders for leaks or damage.

Know your capacity before you load it. Every liftgate carries a rated weight limit on a placard near the controls, and that number is for a load centered on the platform — not stacked to one side.

Chock your wheels and set the parking brake before you lower the gate. A gate hanging off the back of a truck that rolls is a crushing hazard, full stop. Keep the area behind the gate clear — no bystanders, no pedestrians, nobody standing under a raised platform for any reason.

Position the load correctly

Center it on the platform. Keep pallet jacks and hand trucks aligned with the direction of travel, not crossways.

Your company standard: inspect the gate every time before you use it, respect the weight placard, chock the wheels, clear the area, and keep your hands and feet clear of every moving joint.

A liftgate does the heavy lifting so your back doesn't have to. Respect what it can do to you if you get careless, and it will keep doing its job safely for years.