Materials handling equipment operator vs production forklift operator

The differences between materials handling equipment operators and production forklift operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a materials handling equipment operator and a production forklift operator. Additionally, a materials handling equipment operator has an average salary of $34,554, which is higher than the $34,322 average annual salary of a production forklift operator.

The top three skills for a materials handling equipment operator include pallets, pallet jack and safety regulations. The most important skills for a production forklift operator are pallets, line production, and safety rules.

Materials handling equipment operator vs production forklift operator overview

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Production Forklift Operator
Yearly salary	$34,554	$34,322
Hourly rate	$16.61	$16.50
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	72,569	160,992
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 58%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	4	4

Materials handling equipment operator vs production forklift operator salary

Materials handling equipment operators and production forklift operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Production Forklift Operator
Average salary	$34,554	$34,322
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $43,000	Between $26,000 And $43,000
Highest paying City	-	Fargo, ND
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Darigold
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between materials handling equipment operator and production forklift operator education

There are a few differences between a materials handling equipment operator and a production forklift operator in terms of educational background:

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Production Forklift Operator
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 49%	High School Diploma, 58%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Materials handling equipment operator vs production forklift operator demographics

Here are the differences between materials handling equipment operators' and production forklift operators' demographics:

	Materials Handling Equipment Operator	Production Forklift Operator
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 89.7% Female, 10.3%	Male, 88.5% Female, 11.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 15.5% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 2.7% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 15.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 2.8% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	4%	4%

Differences between materials handling equipment operator and production forklift operator duties and responsibilities

Materials handling equipment operator example responsibilities.

Operate stand-up forklift, reach truck and walkie.
Unload railcars using crane, forklift and overhead hoists.
Certify on walkie rider, stand-up forklift/ high reach forklift, and turret truck.
Perform daily pre and post maintenance inspection checks on designate material handling equipment (MHE).
Load and secure items onto pallets and ensure that the materials are in the proper place and prepare them for shipment.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation as is required by organization and OSHA.

Production forklift operator example responsibilities.

Use automate systems and RF units to pull, put away and load customer product, in addition to managing inventory
Move and stock products using a stand up and sit down forklift.
Operate various forklifts from old Clark lifts to any new stand up and sit down lifts.
Load tractor trailer trucks with forklift and keep the production line stock with pallets of assort chicken parts to be package.
Execute production activities as directed by supervisor, including performing GMP cell culture of biologic products using closed-system device.
Deliver finished product to production area and stack items on pallet for pickup

Materials handling equipment operator vs production forklift operator skills

Common materials handling equipment operator skills

Pallets, 16%
Pallet Jack, 12%
Safety Regulations, 9%
End Loaders, 8%
Basic Math, 7%
Safety Procedures, 6%

Common production forklift operator skills

Pallets, 24%
Line Production, 12%
Safety Rules, 12%
Pallet Jack, 8%
RF Scanner, 6%
Quality Standards, 5%

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Materials Handling Equipment Operator
Materials Handling Equipment Operator vs Production Forklift Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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