After a forklift tipover, the questions are usually the same: What went wrong? Was the operator going too fast, carrying a load too large, or was the floor wet? 

But in many of the hardest incidents to understand, nothing was out of place. The equipment was where it always is. The task was familiar. The workplace looked acceptable enough to proceed. 

That’s what makes these moments dangerous. 

I recently conducted a controlled tipover demonstration to show how quickly this shift in risk can play out. 

When control of the truck is lost, the outcome is determined in seconds. Tipovers continue to represent one of the most serious hazards in forklift operation, accounting for roughly 25% of all lift truck fatalities.

In these incidents, common contributing factors include loads carried too high, excessive speed while turning, and changing surface conditions — all of which can happen without initially appearing dangerous. 

That’s why loads should be kept low to the ground, only high enough to clear the floor or road surface. 

Non-palletized loads with irregular shapes or uneven weight distribution can alter the truck’s center of gravity and should always be handled with care.

What many operators don’t realise is how quickly forklift stability can change during normal operation. A forklift handles differently whether it is loaded or unloaded, and in many cases, an unloaded forklift is less stable than a loaded truck. 

Since the operator’s work is focused on lifting, unloaded travel can feel low-risk, despite the forklift being less stable when unloaded. 

The problem is that human judgment doesn’t operate on formal checklists minute to minute; it operates on recognition. If everything looks right, the work continues. 

Over time, “looks right” becomes the strongest signal we trust. But it’s the one that fails us. 

In practice, operating conditions shift quietly, through repetition, routine, and confidence built on past success. Not recklessness. Not carelessness. Familiarity. 

Loads carried too high, excessive speed while turning, and changing surface conditions can all be signs of reduced attentiveness, and they can contribute to a tipover while everything still appears normal in the moment.

In our training classes, we describe this point as a “Les Careful moment”. Not a sudden mistake, but when the distance between “acceptable” and “risk” has shifted. 

Nothing was out of place, except for the margin for error. 

This is where attention is most often needed. Not when conditions are obviously hazardous, but when everything appears normal. 

That’s where the floor teaches its hardest lessons.