To Ken UK,
I can see your side of the handbrake discussion and I do suggest to inexperienced operators that if they want to use the handbrake while placing a load on a stack to go ahead, if they feel more secure and it feels safer to them, The main topic is safety and an inexperienced operator has trouble with synchronized movements and using 3 functions ( throttle, lift lever, inching pedal) at same time is difficult for beginners, so if I see someone struggling I tell them to slow down and not to overdrive their capabilities. The only problem is forgetting to release the hand brake when reversing and thus burns out the brake shoes quickly, so in my mechanic days I used to rewire the handbrake circuit to activate the horn if the operator tried to move the forklift with the handbrake still on.