How to move heavy loads without forklifts: MasterMover guide

The complete forklift-free guide

A practical framework for Safety Managers and Production Managers implementing forklift-free strategies.

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Forklifts are misused by design

Most forklift incidents happen because forklifts are routinely used for tasks they weren’t designed for, or in unsuitable area e.g. busy production halls with mixed equipment and pedestrians

Forklift-free operations improve safety

By separating lifting from horizontal transport, confining forklifts to defined zones and redesigning ground-level movement around MasterMover electric tuggers.

Operational gains, not just safety gains

Less floor congestion, no licensed operator dependency and more flexible production layouts.

MasterMover: The forklift-free solution

Our electric tuggers move loads from a few hundred pounds to beyond 154,000 lbs, implemented by leading brands to improve safety and increase efficiency by over 300%.

Forklift truck vs electric tugger comparison image

What is forklift-free?

Forklift-free is strategy that separates lifting tasks from horizontal load transport. Rather than using forklifts as the default vehicle for all material movement, forklift-free operations confine forklifts to defined zones where lifting is genuinely required, such as racking, vehicle loading, stacking. Then, the approach involves redesigning transit routes around purpose-built electric tuggers.

The logic is straightforward. Forklifts are engineered to lift, but in many manufacturing facilities, forklifts are primarily used for shunting and shuttling loads around. For safety managers and operations leaders, a forklift-free strategy delivers a measurable reduction in pedestrian risk and improves material flow.

Forklift fatalities annually (US)

0 - 87

Source: OSHA & National Safety Council

Serious injuries per year (US)

Not including minor incidents

Fatalities involve pedestrians

0 %

Struck or crushed in mixed-traffic areas

Preventable accidents

0 %

With better process design

THE PROBLEM WITH HOW FORKLIFTS ARE ACTUALLY USED

In many cases, the forklift involved is simply operating in an environment it was never designed for. This is the central problem. Despite being designed specifically for lifting, forklifts have become the default vehicle for almost every material movement task across manufacturing. When a site needs to move a cart of components from receiving to the production line, or shift a sub-assembly between production bays, the forklift is the default answer. It is available, operators are certified and nobody has formally decided it was the wrong tool for the job.

25,000 DART cases in the US

Days away from work, restricted duty or job transfer directly attributed to non-fatal forklift accidents in the US (2021-2022).

Average of 16 days away from work

From forklift accidents. That's roughly double the average for other workplace injuries.

THE REGULATORY & FINANCIAL EXPOSURE

The majority of these forklift incidents do not happen in the warehouse or loading bay. They happen in production halls and assembly areas, the spaces where forklifts are routinely used not for lifting, but for moving things from one point to another. At MasterMover, we see that when sites map their near-miss and incident records against forklift routes, the pattern is consistent. Risk events cluster around pedestrian and vehicle interaction.

OSHA's powered industrial truck standard (29 CFR 1910.178) is among the most frequently cited standards in general industry. OSHA estimates that approximately 70% of all forklift accidents are preventable. That figure reframes the conversation. Most forklift incidents are a result of poorly designed processes and systems. For safety violations, enforcement activity is intensifying, and insurance underwriters are scrutinizing forklift incident histories more carefully at renewal.

OSHA penalty

$ 0

Per forklift-related citation (repeat/willful violations substantially higher)

Workers' comp per claim

$ 0 -41K

Direct costs only - indirect costs multiply total several times

Avg amputation claim

$ 0

Severe claims run far higher

The aim behind the forklift-free strategy is to separate lifting operations from general, standard load movement. Separating those two functions and confining forklifts to defined lifting zones and redesigning horizontal movement around purpose-built equipment, resolves the core risk without compromising operational performance.

Electric tuggers are designed to move heavy-wheeled loads safely and efficiently. Loads stay on their own wheels at floor level and nothing is lifted. That single difference eliminates tip-over risk, reduces collision severity, and allows operators to work at walking speeds with clear visibility ahead of them. Remote control tuggers are also available, like MasterMover’s PowerSteered range which offers even greater visibility and allows operators to move around the load and check blind spots.

Workplace safety

Removing forklifts from busy, shared routes eliminates the conditions that allow incidents to occur. Elevated loads, restricted sightlines, reversing vehicles and pedestrian-vehicle interaction in confined spaces are all significant risk factors.

Organizations that have implemented forklift-free processes with MasterMover electric tuggers consistently report reductions in near-miss frequency and lost-time incidents linked to vehicle movement.

Before MasterMover

With MasterMover

Licensed operators create bottlenecks

Any operator can move heavy loads

Elevated loads and blind spots put pedestrians at risk

Loads stay at floor level and operators move at walking pace

Transport movements compete with lifting tasks

Manual handling slows work and increases strain

Inflexible, unsafe and inefficient for busy areas

Controlled, single-operator movement reduces incident risk

	Electric tugger	Electric forklift	Diesel/LPG forklift
Pedestrian risk	Low: operator walks beside load with direct sightlines and remote-control options offer even greater visibility	High: limited sightlines and poor visibility	High: limited sightlines and poor visibility
Tip-over risk	None: ground-level movement only	High: elevated center of gravity	High: elevated center of gravity
Reversing hazards	Low: remote control options keep operator ahead of direction of travel	High: camera systems can mitigate	High: camera systems can mitigate
Operator licensing	Short onboarding and familiarization training	Formal certification required	Formal certification required
Collision severity	Low speed, controlled	High mass, high speed impact potential	High mass, high speed impact potential
Noise level	Low	Low	High
Emissions (indoor)	Zero at the point of use	Low	High: approx. 5,000-8,000g CO2/hr (MasterMover field sales data, 2024)

Step 1: Assess

Where and why are forklifts being used?

Before any alternative equipment is considered, the assessment phase asks a more fundamental question: where are forklifts being used today, and are they being used because lifting is genuinely required, or because they are simply the most available option?

Start by mapping every material movement against two categories: vertical activity (stacking, racking, vehicle loading) and horizontal transport (moving loads from one point to another at floor level). In most facilities, a significant proportion of daily forklift journeys fall into the second category. Those movements are ideal candidates for redesign.

Overlay that map with incident and near-miss data.

Where do events cluster? On shared transit routes? In narrow aisles where visibility is limited? In areas requiring frequent reversing? The goal at this stage is to understand precisely where the risk sits and what is driving it.

Examine the facility layout. Is aisle width determined by forklift turning radius rather than operational requirements? Are loads moved individually when they could be consolidated? Are processes designed around the available vehicles rather than around the work?

Forklift dependency has often shaped facility layouts in ways that are invisible to the people working in them every day. Stepping back and assessing processes allows you to gain a top-level perspective that goes beyond the "we've always done it this way" approach.

Step 2: Redesign

If we were designing this process from scratch, what would we do?

Having assessed current processes, the redesign phase considers how each movement would work if the forklift were removed. For horizontal transport, the answer is typically a pedestrian-controlled or remote-controlled electric tugger. For high-volume repetitive routes, a tugger train using MasterMover's MasterTow range, or a ride-on towing tractor can replace multiple forklift journeys with a single, predictable movement solution.

Several factors determine the right specification of electric tugger for a given application:

Movement frequency and distance

Load weight and trolley design

Operating environment – floor condition, slopes etc.

Movement requirements, size constraints

Connection/hitch system

Getting these factors right in the specification stage is what separates a solution that embeds successfully into daily operations from one that creates new frustrations. A reputable electric tugger supplier should take a consultative approach to specification to ensure any solution is fit for purpose. At MasterMover, we follow a tried-and-tested evaluation process to understand your requirements.

As well as embedding the correct equipment, many businesses start with a pilot program. Choose a zone representative of the broader problem i.e. high pedestrian and vehicle interaction, repetitive horizontal movement, measurable safety objectives, and define success criteria in advance. Pilot programs reduce resistance by letting operators and leadership see the change in practice and they generate the evidence needed to build a credible business case for the next phase.

Step 3: Scale and embed

Making forklift-free design part of standard operations

A successful pilot provides operational proof and the confidence to extend forklift-free approaches further. Scaling works best when the redesigned processes are documented and standardized rather than left to individual interpretation on each deployment.

At this stage, align forklift-free implementation with formal safety KPIs. Track changes in near-miss frequency, lost-time incidents linked to vehicle movement, and congestion-related downtime. These metrics make the safety improvement legible beyond the shop floor and can be used to communicate improvements to boards, insurers and OSHA compliance officers.

Sunbelt Rentals faced a problem of moving large portable accommodation units and plant equipment. Moving these loads required large forklifts capable of handling significant weights, but their use created persistent congestion and a continuous dependency on licensed operators. Whenever a movement was needed and no licensed driver was immediately available, equipment sat waiting, throughput slowed and the risk of incidents was high.

By replacing forklift-based movement with MasterMover electric tuggers for trailer and cabin handling, Sunbelt achieved a 300% increase in efficiency.

Manpower requirements for the same volume of movements fell by 75%. Operators no longer needed a forklift license to carry out routine transport tasks, which meant that movements could happen when the work required rather than when a licensed driver became free.

At Terex Materials Processing, heavy sub-assemblies needed to be repositioned repeatedly on the production floor during manufacture. Previously this required huge counterbalance forklifts, machines that dominated the available space and created significant visibility problems for both operators and the people working alongside them on the production line.

Those sub-assembly movements now fall to MasterMover PS3000+ remote-controlled tuggers. A single operator working from beside the load, rather than elevated in a cab looking over forks, can safely move 16m chassis weighing almost 40,000 lbs.

Forklift traffic on the shop floor has reduced substantially. Pedestrian routes that were previously compromised by maneuvering forklifts have been reclaimed. The operators who manage the process consistently describe the change in control and visibility as significant.

"We've always done it this way."

In most facilities that have not suffered a serious forklift incident, the absence of injury is attributed to good practice. Occasionally that is accurate. More often, it reflects the statistical reality that serious incidents are relatively rare even in genuinely high-risk environments. Near-miss data usually tells a different story. When sites begin formally recording and analyzing near-miss events, the frequency of close calls in forklift and pedestrian interaction zones almost always comes as a surprise to those reviewing it.

"We'd lose speed and efficiency."

In most facilities, the throughput calculation consistently favors the change. Waiting time for licensed operators disappears. Congestion in transit areas reduces. Movements become more predictable. Where a forklift made one journey per load, a tugger train makes one journey for multiple loads. Electric tuggers are also able to steer, position and maneuver loads in ways that forklifts simply can’t. This maneuverability eliminates the time-consuming shunting process familiar to forklift operators and cuts handling time.

THE BUSINESS CASE FOR FORK-LIFT FREE

The business case for forklift segregation sits across several stakeholders - safety compliance, operational performance and financial risk management. Each stakeholder group needs a different version of that case, framed in their own terms.

MasterMover's implementation framework is designed to generate the evidence that feeds all three of these conversations simultaneously. Safety improvements, throughput data and cost data can be assembled into a business case that speaks convincingly to multiple stakeholders.

How do forklift-free strategies align with Safety Manager objectives?

Near-miss data usually tells a different story. When sites begin formally recording and analyzing near-miss events, the frequency of close calls in forklift and pedestrian interaction zones almost always comes as a surprise to those reviewing it.

How do electric tuggers compare to forklifts for Operations Managers?

For operations leaders, the gains in throughput, flexibility and reduced congestion are the primary gains. The dependency on licensed operators is one of the most underestimated constraints in manufacturing facilities.

When a licensed driver is unavailable, work stops. Removing that dependency has measurable value on the production schedule.

What's the impact of reducing forklift reliance for Finance stakeholders?

For finance stakeholders, the focus is liability, insurance costs and sustainability. Workers’ compensation for a forklift injury averages $38,000–$41,000 per claim, while severe incidents such as amputations or crush injuries range from $62,000 to over $126,000 in direct costs alone.

Indirect costs (including downtime, retraining and higher premiums) can multiply the total several times, with OSHA citations adding an average of $13,500.

Moving towards forklift-free operations

Forklift-free operations are the logical outcome of asking honestly whether the equipment filling a manufacturing facility reflects deliberate operational design or accumulated habit. For many sites, the answer is the latter. Forklifts moved into spaces that were never intended for them and stayed because they were familiar. The risk that followed is real, quantifiable and, with the right approach - fully addressable. The framework in this playbook is designed to make that transition simple and effective.

MasterMover has worked with manufacturers across a broad spectrum of industries to implement and scale forklift-free operations. The experience from those deployments, what works, what generates resistance and how to resolve it, is built into every stage of the approach described.

28+ years of experience

Supporting manufacturers through forklift-free transitions across a wide range of industries.

Single-unit capacity up to 154,000 lbs

MasterMover electric tuggers scale to match the demands of any facility.

Zero licensed operator dependency

Any trained member of staff can operate an electric tugger.

FAQs - Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a forklift and an electric tugger?

A forklift lifts loads off the ground using an elevated mast and forks, creating a high center of gravity. A forklift is designed to lift palletized loads, for example onto racking, loading docks or within warehouses. An electric tugger moves wheeled loads that remain safely on the ground. The operator walks alongside the machine or uses a remote control, maintaining clear visibility ahead of the load. Loads are never elevated during movement, which reduces the risk of tip-overs and injury of severity.

Can electric tuggers handle the same loads as forklifts?

For horizontal transport, yes, if the load is on wheels. MasterMover electric tuggers can move loads ranging from a few hundred pounds to beyond 154,000 lbs. For applications that exceed single-unit capacity, MasterMover’s unique MultiLink system allows multiple units to operate in synchronized teams, scaling to virtually any load weight.

How long does it take to implement a forklift-free strategy?

Most organizations begin with a pilot program in a defined zone. This is typically an area with frequent interaction between pedestrians and vehicles. A well-scoped pilot can be operational within weeks and generates the data needed to build a business case for broader rollout. Full facility transitions are often staged across months rather than completed in a single phase, but forklift-free rollouts can be done at a pace most appropriate to your business.

What industries use forklift-free operations?

Forklift-free strategies are applied across a range of industries, including automotive, aerospace, heavy plant assembly and industrial manufacturing. The approach is relevant wherever facilities use forklifts for routine horizontal transport in spaces shared with pedestrians, which describes most manufacturing and production environments.

What is the return on investment for switching to electric tuggers?

The ROI case for swapping forklift trucks for electric tuggers draws from several sources simultaneously. For example:

Reduced workers' compensation exposure (direct forklift injury costs average $38,000–$41,000 per claim before indirect costs)
Lower OSHA citation risk (average penalty $13,500 per forklift-related citation)
Improved throughput
Reduced congestion
Lower fleet operating costs

Organizations that have made the transition report gains across all these areas, with safety improvements and operational gains being the most significant.

What happens to forklifts after a forklift-free transition?

Once the integration and rollout of electric tuggers are complete, forklifts can be redeployed to the tasks they were originally designed for. Lifting tasks, racking operations and vehicle loading remain forklift functions. The transition reduces the total number of forklift movements and concentrates them in defined zones, which makes these areas easier to manage for safety compliance.

References & citations

National Safety Council (2024) Forklifts. Available at: https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/safety-topics/forklifts/ (Accessed: 9 March 2026).
National Safety Council (2024) Workers' Compensation Costs. Available at: https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/costs/workers-compensation-costs/ (Accessed: 9 March 2026).
National Safety Council (2024) Work Injuries and Illnesses by Part of Body. Available at: https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/work/industry-incidence-rates/work-injuries-and-illnesses-by-part-of-body/ (Accessed: 9 March 2026).
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (no date) Powered Industrial Trucks eTool. United States Department of Labor. Available at: https://www.osha.gov/etools/powered-industrial-trucks (Accessed: 9 March 2026).
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (no date) OSHA Civil Penalties. United States Department of Labor. Available at: https://www.osha.gov/penalties (Accessed: 9 March 2026).
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (2025) 2025 Annual Adjustments to OSHA Civil Penalties. United States Department of Labor. Available at: https://www.osha.gov/memos/2025-01-07/2025-annual-adjustments-osha-civil-penalties (Accessed: 9 March 2026).
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (no date) OSHA Safety Pays Estimator. United States Department of Labor. Available at: https://www.osha.gov/safetypays/estimator (Accessed: 9 March 2026).

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How to move heavy loads without forklifts: MasterMover guide