Changing a propane cylinder on a forklift takes a few minutes, but the order of the steps matters. This page follows guidance from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) and the operator manual that comes with our LPG trucks. Your own operator manual and your province's rules come first. If you are still deciding whether propane suits your building, start with our electric vs propane vs diesel comparison instead.
The short version: close the valve, let the engine run itself dry, tighten the hose by hand, then check for leaks before you drive off. Do it in a well-ventilated spot, with gloves and eye protection on.
On this page
What is on the truck
Our LPG forklifts carry one standard cylinder at a time in a bracket at the back. The FL models arrive with a filled cylinder in the price. The FG models have the bracket fitted but the cylinder is not included. Either way, it is the cylinder you will be handling most often, so it is worth learning the routine.
One thing the manual points out: an installed cylinder can partly block the view to the rear. Check behind you more often than you would on a truck without one, and watch for people and objects as you reverse.
Changing the cylinder, step by step
- Park in a low-traffic, well-ventilated area. Put the controls in neutral, lower the forks to the ground and set the parking brake.
- Protect yourself. Wear eye protection and gloves, such as leather or insulated neoprene. Liquid propane on bare skin can cause frostbite.
- Close the cylinder valve while the engine is still running, after you have stepped off the truck.
- Let the engine run until it stops. That empties the fuel hose. Then turn the key off.
- Disconnect the hose from the cylinder and undo the latch or straps holding it.
- Lift the empty cylinder out with both hands. Empty ones are still heavy.
- Inspect the replacement. If it is damaged, do not use it. Tag it for repair and store it safely.
- Lift it into place with proper lifting technique, line it up with the positioning pin so the pressure relief valve faces the right way, and secure it.
- Connect the hose by hand. The valve is designed to be tightened without tools.
- Open the valve slowly and check for leaks (next section).
- Check the hose. It should not be kinked, twisted or sticking out from the truck. Then start the engine.
Checking for leaks
When you open the valve, a hiss for a second or two is normal. Anything longer points to a leak. Use your senses: smell for the rotten-egg odour added to propane, listen for gas escaping, and look for frost or bubbles if you are testing with soapy water. A soap-and-water solution or a leak detector is the right tool. Never use a match or flame.
If you find a leak, close the valve, remove the hose, and check the valve and the hose connection for dirt or debris. Reconnect and test again. If it still leaks, try a fresh cylinder. If it still leaks after that, take the truck out of service and tag the faulty part for repair by a qualified person. If you cannot clear it, or anything else about the truck looks wrong, see what to do when a forklift stops working.
What not to do
- Don't use metal tools on the cylinder, or force the valve open or shut
- Don't drag, drop, roll or slide a cylinder, or let it bang against anything
- Don't fit a cylinder that is dented or damaged
- Don't let a cylinder sit in heat or get hot
- Don't smoke near the truck or the cylinder storage
- Don't drive a truck with an incomplete or improvised fuel-system repair. Fuel systems and cylinders should be repaired by qualified people, using parts approved by an agency such as CSA
Storing cylinders and parking the truck
Keep cylinders upright, in a well-ventilated place, away from ignition sources and heat. Secure each one so it cannot tip, with a chain or proper support, and keep them where nothing can strike them. Do not store cylinders, or park the truck, near doorways, aisles, elevators, stairways or exits.
Propane gas is heavier than air, so a leak settles low. That is why the manual tells you not to park a propane truck near open pits, underground passages or elevator shafts, or near heat sources and open flames. When the truck is out of service, close the cylinder's outlet valve.
Refilling and handling liquid propane should be done by trained or qualified people, ideally outdoors or in a well-ventilated area away from anything that could ignite it, with a fire extinguisher at the fuelling area. In BC, changing a cylinder does not need a propane handler's certificate, but transferring propane from one container to another does. Our guide to forklift training rules by province has the details.
Running it indoors
The exhaust is the other hazard. Engine exhaust contains carbon monoxide, and the manual says not to leave the engine running in a poorly ventilated place and to open windows and doors. Early symptoms of carbon monoxide or poor ventilation are headache, fatigue, dizziness and nausea. If people near a running truck start feeling any of those, stop the truck, get everyone into fresh air and fix the ventilation before you restart.
How much ventilation is enough? CCOHS cites an industry guideline of about 10,000 cubic feet of fresh air per minute for each propane truck, but it applies only in specific conditions: a regularly maintained truck, an engine under 60 horsepower, use for less than half the working day, and a large space of at least 150,000 cubic feet per truck. Your situation may differ, so treat it as a reference point and check it against your own conditions. Your province may set its own requirements and exposure limits. CCOHS recommends checking with your jurisdiction, and keeping the engine tuned and the exhaust system inspected helps keep exposure down. Its pages on propane hazards and safe handling are free to read.
If you are comparing propane trucks, you can see our full propane and diesel forklift range.
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Common questions
How do I change a propane tank on a forklift?
Park in a well-ventilated area with the forks down and the brake on. Close the cylinder valve with the engine running and let the engine stop on its own to empty the hose. Turn the key off, disconnect the hose, swap the cylinder, connect the hose by hand, open the valve slowly and check for leaks before you drive.
How do I check a forklift propane tank for leaks?
A hiss lasting a second or two when you open the valve is normal. Longer means a leak. Check with a soap-and-water solution or a leak detector, never a flame, and take the truck out of service if the leak continues after trying a fresh cylinder.
Where should I store forklift propane cylinders?
Upright, secured and protected from impact, in a well-ventilated place away from heat and ignition sources. Do not store them or park the truck near doorways, aisles, elevators, stairways or exits.
How long does a propane tank last on a forklift?
It depends on the truck and the work, so we do not quote hours. Note how long a cylinder lasts over a few typical shifts and plan your spares from that.
What are the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning from a forklift?
Headache, fatigue, dizziness and nausea. If anyone working near a running propane truck feels these, stop the truck, move people into fresh air and check the ventilation before restarting.
Questions about a specific truck? Contact us with the model and we will help.
