A counterbalance forklift is a forklift that carries the load on forks ahead of the front wheels and offsets it with a heavy counterweight at the rear, with no outriggers or straddle legs.
Counterbalance trucks span OSHA Classes I, IV and V: electric rider trucks and internal combustion trucks with cushion or pneumatic tires, in sit-down and stand-up versions. Because the front axle acts as the fulcrum, stability depends on keeping the combined center of gravity of truck and load inside the stability triangle formed by the front wheels and the rear axle pivot. The rated capacity on the data plate applies at a stated load center and lift height.
The main hazards are lateral tip-over in fast turns, forward tip-over with an overloaded or raised load, poor forward view with tall loads, and rear-end swing that can catch pedestrians in tight aisles. In a tip-over, operators of sit-down trucks are better protected by the operator restraint and overhead guard if they stay in the seat. Proximity and pedestrian detection systems can be retrofitted to this truck type. See counterbalance forklift safety.