Overview
ISO 5053-2:2019 - Industrial trucks - Vocabulary - Part 2: Fork arms and attachments - is an International Organization for Standardization (ISO) document that defines the vocabulary used for fork arms and load‑handling attachments for industrial trucks. The standard establishes consistent terms and definitions (in English and French) and provides equivalent terms in German, Chinese and Italian in Annex A. It does not include safety requirements or recommendations about which attachment is appropriate for a given load.
Key topics
- The document focuses exclusively on terminology for fork arms and attachments used on industrial trucks (forklifts).
- Principal terms and definitions included:
- fork arm, fork arm extension, folding fork arm
- removeable (removable) attachment, integrated attachment, fork‑mounted attachment
- static attachment, powered attachment, manually operated attachment
- Informative annexes:
- Annex A: equivalent terms in German, Chinese and Italian
- Annex B: types of load and their manipulation (informative)
- Bibliography for additional references
- Administrative details:
- No normative references are cited.
- Prepared by ISO/TC 110 (Industrial trucks), Subcommittee SC1 (General terminology).
- Important limitations:
- The standard provides vocabulary only - no safety or selection guidance and no proposals on which attachment is appropriate for specific loads.
Applications
ISO 5053-2:2019 is practical for organizations that need consistent, international terminology around fork arms and attachments:
- Technical documentation and equipment manuals
- Product specifications, datasheets and CAD/parts catalogs
- Procurement documents and tenders where precise terms reduce ambiguity
- Translation and localization of technical texts (leveraging Annex A)
- Training materials, operator guides and maintenance procedures
- Standards development, conformity assessment, and regulatory references where agreed terms improve clarity
Who should use this standard
- Fork arm and attachment manufacturers
- Industrial truck designers and engineers
- Technical authors, translators and standards committees
- Warehouse managers, fleet operators and maintenance teams
- Procurement specialists and spec writers
Related standards
- This part is one element of the ISO 5053 series (Industrial trucks - Vocabulary). Refer to the ISO website or national standards bodies for the list of all parts in the series.
Keywords: ISO 5053-2:2019, industrial trucks, fork arms, attachments, vocabulary, fork arm extension, powered attachment, removable attachment.
