Forklift Safety in Winter: How to Protect Your Team When Temperatures Drop

Colder temperatures, wet floors, ice, reduced visibility, and extra layers of clothing all affect how forklifts handle and how operators perform. OSHA notes that winter weather brings specific hazards like slippery surfaces, strong winds, and environmental cold, all of which employers are required to control under their general duty to provide a safe workplace. 

Whether your team works outdoors, in partially enclosed loading docks, or in cold storage environments, winter forklift safety demands a more deliberate approach.

At Charleston Forklift Training, we help employers prepare operators for these conditions with practical, OSHA-aligned training that focuses on real-world risks. Here’s what every warehouse and facility should know.

1. Why Winter Changes the Risk Profile

In dry, mild conditions, a forklift already presents serious hazards. Add winter to the mix and several factors stack together:

• Slippery Surfaces: Snow, ice, frost, and tracked-in melt water increase the risk of slides, skids, and tip-overs. OSHA reminds employers that winter weather creates slippery roads and surfaces that must be proactively managed. 

• Reduced Traction & Longer Stopping Distance: Snow and ice significantly reduce tire grip and lengthen stopping distance for forklifts and other equipment, increasing collision risk. 

• Cold Stress on Workers: Exposure to cold can lead to hypothermia, frostbite, and other cold-related illnesses. OSHA and NIOSH both warn that cold stress is a recognized, preventable hazard. 

• Equipment Performance Issues: Batteries, hydraulics, tires, and fluids are all affected by low temperatures and moisture, which can cause sluggish controls, reduced battery life, or mechanical failure. 

Winter doesn’t just add one hazard—it layers multiple hazards at once, which is why planning and training matter so much.

2. Winterizing Your Forklift Fleet

Before you ask an operator to drive in winter conditions, you need to know the equipment is ready for it.

a. Pre-Shift & Winter-Specific Inspections

OSHA already requires forklifts to be examined at least daily before being placed into service. In winter, best practice is to extend those checks to account for cold-related stress on critical components. 

Key items to check:

• Tire condition, tread depth, and tire pressure

• Brakes, steering, and lights

• Hydraulics for leaks or sluggish response

• Battery charge and terminals (especially on electric trucks)

• Windshield wipers, defrosters, and heaters (if cab-equipped)

• Horn and warning devices

Some winter safety resources recommend more frequent inspections—sometimes before each use—when conditions are severe. 

b. Traction & Surface Control

Even a well-maintained truck won’t perform safely on untreated surfaces. Industry guidance recommends:

• Salting, sanding, or gritting ramps, docks, and outdoor travel paths

• Plowing or clearing snow accumulations

• Checking that meltwater isn’t creating slick spots in doorways or aisles 

If traction is still inadequate, some operations use tire chains or winter-rated tires where appropriate.

c. Storage & Maintenance in Cold Temperatures

Cold weather can shorten battery life and thicken fluids. Manufacturers and industry sources suggest:

• Storing forklifts indoors or under cover when possible

• Keeping batteries charged more frequently in cold conditions

• Monitoring coolant and lubrication levels and using winter-appropriate fluids as needed 

A winter PM (preventive maintenance) checklist is a smart addition to your fleet program.

3. Protecting Forklift Operators from Cold Stress

Forklift safety isn’t just about the truck; it’s about the person on the seat.

OSHA and NIOSH both highlight cold stress as a serious hazard, with potential outcomes including frostbite, trench foot, chilblains, and hypothermia. 

a. Proper Winter PPE and Clothing

OSHA’s winter guidance and safety resources consistently recommend:

• Wearing three layers of loose-fitting clothing (base, insulation, outer shell)

• Using insulated gloves, warm hats, and waterproof, slip-resistant boots

• Keeping skin dry and changing out of wet clothing promptly 

For forklift operators, it’s also important that clothing doesn’t interfere with controls, visibility, or safe operation (e.g., no dangling scarves or loose items that could catch).

b. Warm-Up Breaks & Work/Rest Schedules

NIOSH recommends implementing a cold-related illness prevention program that includes scheduled warm-up breaks, heated rest areas, and training on cold stress symptoms. 

For operators working outdoors or in unheated areas:

• Provide access to a heated break room

• Encourage regular warm-up breaks during extreme cold

• Train supervisors to spot early signs of cold stress (shivering, confusion, slurred speech, loss of coordination) 

c. Buddy Systems & Monitoring

Cold stress can impair judgment and coordination. Some safety guidance recommends pairing workers so they can monitor each other for symptoms and speak up if someone appears affected. 

4. Operating Forklifts Safely in Winter Conditions

Once equipment and people are prepared, operators still need to change how they drive.

a. Slow Down and Increase Following Distance

Safety organizations consistently stress reducing speed and leaving extra stopping distance on snow or ice to prevent skids and collisions. 

For forklifts, this means:

• Reducing travel speed, especially on ramps, docks, and turns

• Avoiding sudden braking or sharp steering

• Leaving extra distance between the truck and pedestrians, equipment, or other vehicles

b. Plan Routes and Watch for Hidden Hazards

Winter brings additional hazards like:

• Ice patches that blend into concrete

• Snow piles that block visibility or narrow lanes

• Meltwater inside doors and in high-traffic areas

Operators should perform a quick “environment check” before each shift to identify and communicate hazards, as many industry resources recommend. 

c. Visibility & Lighting

Shorter days and winter storms mean operators may be working with reduced natural light and glare from snow.

Mitigate this by:

• Ensuring forklift lights are functional and bright

• Improving warehouse and yard lighting where practical

• Using spotters with radios or agreed hand signals in tight or blind areas 

d. Adjusting Training & Procedures for Winter

Training should explicitly cover winter hazards—OSHA’s guidance encourages employers to provide training on recognizing and avoiding cold-weather hazards and using equipment safely in those conditions. 

That includes:

• How braking and steering change on wet/icy surfaces

• Where speed must be reduced

• How to handle ramps, docks, and outdoor yards in winter

• What to do if conditions deteriorate mid-shift

5. How Charleston Forklift Training Can Help

Winter is the perfect time to reinforce forklift safety and update your procedures.

At Charleston Forklift Training, we can support you with:

a. Winter-Focused Forklift Refresher Training

We provide OSHA-compliant refresher training that emphasizes:

• Adjusted driving techniques for snow, ice, and wet floors

• Winter-specific pre-shift inspection checklists

• Cold-stress awareness and PPE expectations

• Safe speeds, stopping distances, and route planning

Sessions are delivered on-site, using your equipment and your environment, so operators get realistic practice.

b. Custom Winter Safety Toolbox Talks

We can help you develop short, focused “toolbox talks” for supervisors and teams covering:

• Daily winter walk-throughs (where to check for ice, water, and visibility issues)

• “Stop work” conditions — when it’s too unsafe to proceed

• Procedures for reporting winter hazards and equipment problems

These talks help keep safety in front of your operators throughout the season.

c. Policy & Procedure Review

We work with employers to align their forklift policies with OSHA expectations and winter best practices, including:

• Clear rules about travel speed, surface treatment, and route restrictions in poor weather

• Requirements for PPE and warm-up breaks in cold environments

• Documentation and evaluation updates tied to winter conditions

d. Certification & Recordkeeping Support

As always, we ensure operators are properly trained, evaluated, and certified, and we help you maintain the documentation needed to show compliance if OSHA ever comes knocking.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Let Winter Catch You Off Guard

Winter weather doesn’t have to shut down your operation—but it does require intentional planning.

By winterizing your equipment, protecting your operators from cold stress, and updating how forklifts are driven and inspected, you dramatically reduce the risk of incidents, injuries, and costly downtime.

If you’re ready to prepare your team for safe, efficient forklift operation this winter, Charleston Forklift Training is here to help with:

• On-site certification and refresher training

• Winter-focused safety content

• Practical guidance built around your facility

📅 Ready to schedule winter forklift training or a refresher session?

Contact Charleston Forklift Training today and keep your operation safe, compliant, and moving—even when the temperature drops.