A contestant negotiates the course at the 2015 Toyota Forklift Challenge at Perth's Market City.

A female forklift driver has won the Toyota Forklift Challenge, which saw 10 of the best forklift operators from Perth's Market City compete to win prizes and boost awareness of workplace safety.

Kirstie Downie from WA Crates, the first female entrant in the Toyota Forklift Challenge now in its second year, received a AUD500 Coles-Myer gift card for winning first place. Second-placed Charles Spargo of Bullfrog International won a AUD250 gift card, while third-placed Taylor Grant from Etherington received a AUD100 gift card.

The finalists navigated a course designed to simulate the typical forklift driver's normal working day activities. Contestants were not just recognised for a speedy operation, but were awarded points for demonstrating safe forklift driving techniques.

"Safety is our number one priority and it's pleasing to see the keen interest from the audience and participants in this event," says Perth Market Authority CEO Stephen Ward.

Toyota Material Handling Australia WA branch manager Lance Cross says the second edition of the challenge was a great success and proved to be an enjoyable way to get the workplace safety message across where it really counts.

"Initiatives like the Toyota Forklift Challenge are a practical way to get all the drivers thinking about workplace safety, not just the 10 finalists," Cross adds.

"All the tenants and staff here at Perth Market City have really embraced the event. We put on a sausage sizzle and hundreds of staff came down to have a look and cheer on their respective teammates."

The finalists used the Toyota 8-Series 8FG18 counterbalance forklift during the competition.

The competition entrants registered by completing a questionnaire about safe forklift driving habits. Both questionnaire and the practical round were overseen and judged by workplace training course provider TCE Training.