I think the real (as in "correct") answer for the craig_h's company would be to use the proper sized forklift, and pick up and carry the load safely.

I agree with Craig_h's opinion that the dealer's sales person was using a cop out, after all, he got the sale because he specified a fleet of 200+ units that were under capacity for the job they are doing now.

I can just see that conversation dragging the "safety guy" into it,,,
sales manager to safety guy;"what ever answer you give, do NOT admit we should have specified a larger capacity unit" so the letter the salesman types says; "He stated that the capacity on the forklift is the lifting capacity only."
What the -sales- man's letter does not do is give you any exact quote, but makes it "sound" as if the safety guy (while looking up at the bus he just got thrown under) says "we see it all the time", while in fact he may have only been willing to say "the capacity is -lifting- capacity" and the rest of his statement -might- have been "and you are on your own after that" or it may have been "200+ forklifts sale, this must be a sale that means you take me fishing in the Florida Keys"...

Using an undersized tug/tow-tractor just because it can move something is not safe, (it better be able to stop it also), but if what you are moving really is within the specs of the unit, I expect the manufacturer to have taken the steps needed to insure that what they sold really is what they sold.
I have had interesting discussions with OSHA employees over the fact the regulation does not use the word "seat belt" (it's an "operator restraint system, and that means the hip or shoulder restraints on a forklift seat are OEM safety measures, and so may not be replaced with a less safe seat without the hip or shoulder restraints"), and that there is no documentation requirement for the pre-operational per shift check, just that the check must be done, they don't have to keep a record, and the OSHA guy pointed that out to me, not the other way around.
Speaking of OSHA, one of the things I have run into is some forklift company sales person trying to get some business, offering "OSHA compliance inspections" when cold calling customers. The customer thinks he is getting inspected, and gets told he needs tires, forks, strobe and bac-a-larm and updated training, and he should call this particular dealer's service department to arrange the repairs and training.
My customer thinks this person's business card he first offered was designed to include something that looked like a federal seal and said "OSHA inspection", but the dealer's service dispatcher (who's business card the sales person left) does the best (60s USA TV show; Hogan's hero's Sgt. Shultz) "I know nothing".