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Forklift Operator: Propane, fuel and battery charging

Changing propane cylinders, leak checks, carbon monoxide, refuelling gasoline equipment, charging lead-acid batteries, hydrogen gas and acid first aid.

  • 15 questions
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Propane, fuel and battery charging · Question 1Score 0/0

What protective equipment should you wear when changing a propane cylinder?

Study reference: Canadian lift truck safety guidance (Oct 2026), Ch. 11 Propane, fuel and battery charging — CCOHS Forklift Trucks: Batteries, Hazards of Propane, Safe Handling of Propane (LPG) Fuel; Reg. 851 s. 61

All 15 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

  1. What protective equipment should you wear when changing a propane cylinder?

    1. No equipment, because the tank is already closed
    2. A dust mask and a pair of thin cotton gloves
    3. Eye protection and leather or insulated gloves
    4. Hearing protection only, since the tank is loud

  2. Why is a propane leak near a pit or a basement stairwell especially dangerous?

    1. Propane is heavier than air and collects in low areas
    2. Propane is harmless once it mixes with any amount of air
    3. Propane is lighter than air and rises out through the roof
    4. Propane turns into a liquid puddle as soon as it touches air

  3. When should water be added to a flooded lead-acid battery?

    1. Before charging, so it boils evenly
    2. During charging, to keep it cool
    3. Only when the battery is frozen
    4. After it is fully charged and has cooled

  4. When changing a propane cylinder, why do you close the valve and run the engine until it stops?

    1. To empty the fuel hose before disconnecting it
    2. To test the horn while the engine is running
    3. To charge the battery for the next operator
    4. To warm the new cylinder before connecting it

  5. What should be done before connecting or disconnecting charger clamps from a battery?

    1. Turn the charger to its maximum setting
    2. Pour water over the battery terminals
    3. Unplug or turn off the charger
    4. Touch both terminals to test the charge

  6. A small amount of battery acid has spilled on the floor. What is used to neutralize it?

    1. Fresh electrolyte, to dilute the acid that spilled
    2. Bleach, poured directly onto the spilled acid
    3. A suitable neutralizer such as baking soda solution
    4. A bucket of sawdust, swept into the nearest drain

  7. What safety equipment should a battery charging area have?

    1. An eyewash station and a safety shower
    2. A vending machine and a first aid poster
    3. A floor drain and a garden hose only
    4. A propane tank and a spare fuel hose

  8. Workers in a building with propane lift trucks complain of headaches, dizziness and nausea. What may this signal?

    1. Poor ventilation and exhaust (carbon monoxide) build-up
    2. Too much daylight coming through the warehouse windows
    3. The propane cylinders being stored upright as required
    4. Lift trucks that are being driven too slowly in the aisles

  9. How should the fuel hose connector be tightened on a new propane cylinder?

    1. By hand, without tools
    2. With any metal tool that fits the nut
    3. With pliers, then tapped with a hammer
    4. With a pipe wrench, as tight as possible

  10. Which method may you use to check a propane connection for leaks?

    1. A lit match held near the valve
    2. A lighter flame passed around the hose
    3. Smelling the valve with your face against it
    4. Soap and water solution or a leak detector

  11. When refuelling a gasoline lift truck in Ontario, how far must ignition sources be from the dispensing point?

    1. At least 50 cm
    2. At least 30 m
    3. At least 3 m
    4. At least 1 m

  12. Why must battery charging areas be well ventilated?

    1. Charging gives off steam that rusts the forks
    2. Charging gives off hydrogen, which can explode
    3. Charging releases propane from the battery
    4. Charging makes the floor slippery with oil

  13. Battery acid splashes into a worker's eye. How long should the eye be flushed with lukewarm water?

    1. About 2 minutes
    2. At least 30 minutes
    3. About 30 seconds
    4. Until it stops stinging

  14. After opening a new cylinder's valve, you hear hissing that lasts about ten seconds. What does this mean?

    1. This is normal on every tank
    2. There is probably a leak
    3. The cylinder is filling up
    4. The engine is warming up

  15. In Ontario, where must a gasoline engine on mobile equipment be refuelled?

    1. Inside, near the loading dock door
    2. Outdoors, with the engine stopped
    3. Indoors, with the engine idling
    4. Anywhere, if the operator is quick

Propane, fuel and battery charging: key rules to remember

Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗

Hazards of Propane and Safe Handling of Propane (LPG) Fuel

  • Propane is very flammable and heavier than air, so a leak can collect in pits and low areas.
  • Incomplete burning of propane produces carbon monoxide; headache, fatigue, dizziness and nausea in a building with propane trucks can mean poor ventilation.
  • Liquid propane on skin can cause frostbite; wear leather or insulated gloves and eye protection when changing cylinders.
  • Change cylinders outdoors or in a well-ventilated low-traffic area, away from ignition sources, with the forks lowered, controls in neutral and parking brake set.
  • Close the cylinder valve and let the engine run until it stops, so the hose is empty; then turn the key off and disconnect.
  • Line the new cylinder up with the positioning pin so the relief valve points the right way; tighten the connector by hand, not with tools.
  • Open the valve slowly; a hiss of one to two seconds is normal, longer means a leak. Check with soap solution or a leak detector, never a flame.
  • Tag and remove damaged cylinders; do not drag, drop or roll cylinders; store them upright, secured, ventilated and away from heat and exits.
  • Do not mount more cylinders than the truck was designed for.

Ontario Regulation 851 s. 61

  • Gasoline engines on mobile equipment are refuelled outdoors, with the engine stopped, no ignition source within 3 m of the dispensing point, and room left for the fuel to expand.

Batteries

  • Lead-acid batteries contain sulfuric acid (electrolyte); only trained and authorized people should handle them.
  • Charging produces hydrogen and oxygen, an explosive mixture; charge only in approved, well-ventilated charging areas.
  • Keep sparks, flames, smoking and other ignition sources away; keep metal tools and jewellery away from terminals.
  • A charging area needs an eyewash station and a safety shower.
  • Add water after the battery is fully charged and cooled, never before or during charging; use distilled water and never add acid.
  • Wear splash-proof goggles, a face shield, chemical-resistant gloves and an apron.
  • Turn off or unplug the charger before connecting or disconnecting the clamps; positive (red) to positive, negative (black) to negative; do not overcharge.
  • Neutralize acid spills with a suitable solution such as baking soda, then rinse.
  • Acid on skin or in the eyes: flush with lukewarm, gently flowing water for at least 30 minutes without stopping, holding eyelids open, and get emergency medical care.

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