The Industrial Truck Association (ITA) classifies forklifts into eight classes based on engine and chassis type. Class one has electric motors and a seated driver, while class two is for narrow aisles. Class three has hand trucks with electric motors, and classes four and five have internal combustion engines with solid or pneumatic tires. Class six is for tow tractor forklifts, class seven is for rough terrain forklifts, and class eight is for hand lifters or pallet trucks.
Forklifts are classified according to a system devised by the Industrial Truck Association (ITA), an organization of forklift manufacturers and suppliers based in the North American countries of the United States, Canada and Mexico. In the rest of the world, these grades are generally recognized by other countries and international manufacturers, but may not be strictly adhered to. The ITA classifies forklifts into eight classes, designated with Roman numerals, primarily based on engine type and chassis type. Some forklifts may fall into more than one of the forklift classes. In this case, however, they are usually arbitrarily assigned to a class.
Class one forklifts are forklifts that have a seat for a seated driver and are powered by electric motors. They may have solid or pneumatic tires. Solid tires are also called cushion tires. The tires are filled with air like ordinary car tyres. Class one forklifts are also counterbalanced with a counterweight for stability.
Electric motors, narrow aisle trucks make up the second class of forklift trucks. These forklifts are similar to other forklifts, but are designed to operate and maneuver in confined conditions and narrow aisles. Many trucks of this type have forklift assemblies that turn to one or both sides instead of being stationary facing forward.
The third of the forklift classes includes hand trucks with electric motors. Hand trucks are forklifts that do not have a space for an operator to ride on the vehicle. Instead, the operator walks behind it. Vehicles in this class are equipped with standard forklifts.
Vehicles with internal combustion engines are the distinguishing feature of the fourth and fifth class of forklift trucks. Vehicles with solid or cushioned tires are placed in class four and vehicles with pneumatic tires are placed in class five. All forklifts of these classes are designed for one driver-operator.
Tow tractor forklifts comprise six class. These vehicles can have electric motors or internal combustion engines. They are operated by a seated rider and can have solid or pneumatic tyres.
Class seven forklifts are vehicles classified as rough terrain forklifts. They are designed with oversized tires and are capable of operating on uneven or rough surfaces. Class seven forklifts can have electric motors or internal combustion engines and are all designed for a seated operator.
The last of the eight classes of forklift trucks are hand lifters, also known as pallet trucks. These lift vehicles are not designed to lift loads or pallets high off the ground or floor, they are simply designed to lift a pallet a few inches off the floor and support it as it is moved. These types of lifts are manually operated and must be pulled or pushed by the operator.
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