If you’ve started a warehouse job and someone’s told you to “grab the counterbalance,” it helps to actually know what that means, especially since the word “forklift” gets used for at least three genuinely different machines on most sites. Here’s what sets a counterbalance forklift apart, and where it fits alongside reach trucks and order pickers.
The short answer
A counterbalance forklift is the machine most people picture when they hear the word “forklift”: a mast at the front, forks that lift straight up, and the weight of the machine’s own chassis and engine (plus a counterweight at the rear) balancing out the load on the forks. The operator sits or stands in a fixed position, and the forks travel up the mast rather than the operator moving with the load. It’s the most common configuration in warehousing, manufacturing, retail distribution and construction yards.
Technically, in Australia, counterbalance forklifts and reach trucks are both licensed under the same LF High Risk Work Licence class (TLILIC0003), because the regulatory definition covers any powered industrial truck with a mast and elevating load carriage that can lift 900mm or more, minus pedestrian-operated and pallet trucks.
How it compares to a reach truck
A reach truck is a close cousin of the counterbalance forklift, and it’s covered by the same LF licence, but it works differently. Instead of relying purely on the machine’s own weight for balance, a reach truck uses outrigger legs (the two prongs that extend forward under the load) to support the mast, which lets the forks “reach” out and retract, extending the machine’s effective lift height without needing as much counterweight. Reach trucks are common in narrow-aisle warehousing where counterbalance forklifts can’t manoeuvre.
How it compares to an order picker
This is where a lot of new operators get confused, because order pickers can look similar to a forklift from across the warehouse. The key difference: on an order picker, the operator’s platform physically rises with the load to reach stock at height, rather than the operator staying in a fixed cab while the forks move. Because of that difference, order pickers are licensed separately, under the LO class (TLILIC0004), not LF. If your role involves both machines, you need both licences. We’ve broken this down in more detail in our LF vs LO comparison.
How it compares to a telehandler
A telehandler swaps the fixed vertical mast for a telescopic boom, letting it reach up and out rather than just straight up, and it’s built for rough, uneven ground rather than warehouse floors. Fitted with forks, most telehandlers don’t need a High Risk Work Licence at all, just documented competency. We’ve covered exactly when a telehandler does and doesn’t need a licence separately.
What is a “high reach” forklift?
“High reach” isn’t an official licence category, it’s an informal industry term generally used for reach trucks or forklifts fitted with tall masts capable of working in high-bay racking, often above 6 or 7 metres. If you see this term in a job ad, it almost always means a reach truck (LF licence) or, if the operator rises with the load, an order picker (LO licence). Worth confirming with the employer which one they actually mean.
What is a Combilift forklift?
A Combilift (or “combi lift”) forklift is a specialized material handling vehicle that combines the features of a standard counterbalance forklift, a sideloader, and a very narrow aisle truck into one machine. The wheels can rotate 90 degrees when directed to allow a forklift to drive sideways, forwards and backward. It can carry long items such as steel and pipe through tight aisles and doorways by changing its direction of movement. To operate a Combilift or any multi directional forklift in Australia you need an LF class licence.
Why the distinction matters for training and safety
Every one of these machines handles differently: centre of gravity, load charts, turning circles, and blind spots are all specific to the configuration. That’s exactly why SafeWork treats counterbalance forklifts, reach trucks, order pickers and telehandlers as needing separate, machine-specific competency, rather than one generic “forklift” qualification. Operating outside your licensed or assessed machine type isn’t just a compliance risk, it’s a genuine safety issue, because the skills don’t automatically transfer. Understanding load ratings matters just as much as knowing which machine you’re on. Our guide to understanding forklift capacity limits covers how data plates and load charts apply specifically to counterbalance and reach configurations.
Quick answers
Is a counterbalance forklift the same as a reach truck? They’re closely related and share the same LF licence class, but they balance loads differently. Counterbalance forklifts use the machine’s own weight and a rear counterweight; reach trucks use extending outrigger legs, which lets them work in narrower aisles and reach greater heights.
Do I need a different licence for a counterbalance forklift versus a reach truck? No, both fall under the LF (TLILIC0003) High Risk Work Licence.
What’s the difference between a counterbalance forklift and an order picker? On a counterbalance forklift, the operator stays fixed while the forks move up the mast. On an order picker, the operator’s platform rises with the load. They’re licensed separately (LF versus LO).
Get licensed on the machine you actually need
Forklift Quality Training runs LF courses for counterbalance and reach truck operation at our Wingfield training centre in Adelaide, with onsite delivery also available. Get in touch or call 08 8244 4958 to book.
Forklift Quality Training (FQT), RTO 45625, Adelaide.