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Handling marks, pallets and forklifts

Chapter 3 of the textbook (cargo handling) is not only about tying down. The exam also asks about packaging, the marks printed on boxes, pallets, roll box pallets and forklifts. This page gathers those points; loading and securing have their own page.

Last updated: 2026-10-12

At a glance

19JIS handling marks
20-30 kgtypical weight of sacks and cartons
300 kglimit for one person pushing a roll box pallet
5 tmaximum load from which a helmet is required when loading

1. Three typical kinds of packaging

Kind	What to remember
Sacks (袋物, ふくろもの)	For powder and grain such as flour and rice; usually 20-30 kg. Big bags moved between factories weigh 500-1,000 kg and are called フレコンバッグ. Watch for tears, leaks from seams and smells passing to other cargo
Cartons (ダンボール)	The most used packaging, mostly under 20-30 kg so they can be carried by hand. A customer may treat a scuffed carton or faded print as damaged cargo
Cans (缶類)	Drums (ドラム缶), 18-litre cans (一斗缶) and pail cans (ペール缶). Metal slides easily, so two or more tiers can collapse under hard braking; secure them

Bulk cargo (バラ積み) such as sand, stone, timber or steel has no packaging and its weight is hard to judge, so it is easy to overload. Without a scale the driver must know a rough guide, and cover the load so nothing flies off.

2. Handling marks (荷扱い指示マーク)

Sacks and boxes often carry words or symbols showing how to handle them: 荷扱い指示マーク, also called ケアマーク at work. Cargo in Japan uses 19 marks set by JIS; imports and exports follow ISO; customers may also use their own marks. The marks protect the people handling the cargo as well as the cargo, so follow them. Do not damage or dirty barcodes and other printed information.

Marks covered in the app's question bank:

Mark	How to handle
上 (arrow up), 天地無用	Keep this way up; do not lay it down or turn it over
壊れもの, 取扱注意	Fragile, handle with care; never throw it or use it to hold other cargo in place
水ぬれ防止	Keep dry, protect from rain
直射日光遮へい, 温度制限	Keep out of direct sunlight; keep within the temperature limits
放射線防護	Needs protection from radiation
上積み段数制限, 上積み質量制限, 上積み禁止	Limit on tiers, limit on weight stacked on top, or nothing on top
重心位置, 吊り位置, クランプ位置	Centre of gravity, sling points, clamp points
転がし禁止, 手かぎ禁止, クランプ禁止, フォーク差込み禁止, ハンドトラック差込み禁止	Do not roll, do not use hand hooks, do not clamp, do not insert forklift forks or a hand truck

Note: even within the tier limit shown, vibration and shocks can put more force than expected on the bottom box. If it could deform, put plywood between tiers to spread the weight.

3. Pallets

Pallets let you move and store many packages at once. The most used is the flat pallet (平パレット), handled whole with a forklift or hand pallet truck. Some have wheels.
A wooden pallet can weigh 30 kg or more, so count it in the load.
Some pallets are one-way (ワンウェイパレット); reusable ones are the customer's property and may have to be collected.
二方差し: forks go in from two set directions only. 四方差し: from any direction. 片面使用形 carries cargo on one face; 両面使用形 on both.
Cargo size and pallet size do not always match. If you do not know how to stack, ask the warehouse staff.

Four basic stacking patterns

棒積み (block stacking), 交互（列）積み (alternating rows), 煉瓦積み (brick pattern, also called インターロック) and ピンホイール積み (pinwheel). The textbook says a carton keeps about 80% of its strength in block stacking, 50% in alternating rows and 40% in pinwheel. So "pinwheel is stronger than block stacking" is false, and the other name of pinwheel is not インターロック.

4. Roll box pallets and tail lifts

Hold the outer post on the swivel-wheel side at chest height and push forward. To take one off the truck, pull it out backwards, then walk round and push.
One person handles up to about 300 kg; heavier, or on a sloping floor, use two people. Slow down about 2 m before stopping or turning.
In transit, strap it to the body wall near its centre of gravity with a lashing belt.
Tail lift (テールゲートリフター): special training is required; do not exceed its maximum load, do not go under it, do not ride it while operating it, and work on level ground.

5. Safe loading and unloading

After a long drive, stand and stretch your back for a few minutes first. Check the floor and keep the area tidy.
A helmet is required on trucks with a maximum load of 5 t or more, and on 2-5 t trucks with opening sides or when using a tail lift.
On trucks of 2 t or more, use steps or a platform; never jump on or off. Climb with three-point contact (3点支持).
Stand where the forklift driver can see you. Do not back towards the edge of the bed. Keep low when pulling ropes, and at the rear of the bed face away from the cab.

6. Forklifts (フォークリフト)

The operator must hold a skills training certificate (技能講習修了証). Use handrails and steps, always wear the seat belt, look around before moving and test the brakes before work.
No sudden acceleration, braking or turning. If the view ahead is blocked, drive in reverse or with a guide. Do not travel with the load raised high.
Loaded: drive forward up slopes and in reverse down slopes.
Nobody under the forks, and nobody riding on the forks or a pallet. Do not take cargo directly from raised forks.
Parking: stop the engine, set the parking brake, lower the forks fully, chock the wheels, then remove the key.
On public roads it must meet the legal standards (a city plate only shows tax paid), and it may not carry cargo on the road.

Practise

Free exams 1-3 include items on the 19 JIS marks, the radiation and fragile marks, 18-litre cans, flat pallets, 四方差し, pinwheel stacking, helmets, jumping off the bed and forklifts on slopes. Take the 3 free exams, read loading and securing and the sample questions with answers.

VIP unlocks exams 4 to 20, the full vocabulary book and the exam tips. VIP is bought inside the iOS app with Apple payment, and Apple shows the price. The App Store version is coming soon. You can try the free exams on the web now.

FAQ

How many handling marks are there in Japan?

Cargo in Japan uses 19 marks set by JIS. Imports and exports follow ISO, and customers may use their own marks.

What is the difference between 四方差し and 二方差し pallets?

A 四方差し pallet takes forklift forks from any direction; a 二方差し pallet only from two set directions.

Is pinwheel stacking stronger than block stacking?

No. According to the textbook, cartons keep about 80% of their strength in block stacking but only about 40% in pinwheel.

How does a loaded forklift go down a slope?

In reverse going down and forward going up, so the load is always on the uphill side.

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