Forklift Operator

Who We Are:
Plain Dealing Lumber is a harvesting and lumber manufacturing company in Plain Dealing, LA, committed to sustainable forestry and producing high-quality wood products. Our fast-paced, hands-on environment prioritizes safety, teamwork, and opportunities for continuous growth and long-term skill development.

• Safely operate forklifts and other material-handling equipment to load, unload, move, and stage lumber and other materials.
• Stack, sort, and organize lumber and finished products according to grade, size, and order requirements.
• Transport materials between production areas, yard storage, and shipping and receiving areas to support efficient production flow.
• Load and unload trucks and railcars, verifying product type, quantities, and destinations against shipping and production documentation.
• Complete pre-shift and post-shift forklift inspections, checking tires, forks, fluids, and safety equipment and reporting maintenance needs promptly.
• Maintain accurate material and inventory placement and assist with cycle counts and physical inventory as needed.
• Follow all forklift and workplace safety requirements, including speed limits, load capacities, pedestrian right-of-way, and required PPE.
• Keep forklift travel paths, yard areas, and workspaces clean, organized, and free of hazards.
• Communicate with supervisors, equipment operators, and production teams to coordinate material movement and prevent delays.
• Assist with general yard, mill housekeeping, and manual material-handling tasks as needed.
• Promptly report accidents, near-misses, safety concerns, and equipment malfunctions to a supervisor.

• High school diploma or equivalent preferred.
• Valid forklift certification or ability to obtain PDL certification upon hire; training provided.
• Prior forklift or similar industrial equipment experience preferred.
• Ability to read basic shipping documents, labels, and product specifications with strong attention to detail and safety.
• Ability to work in outdoor and industrial conditions, including varying weather, noise, and dust, with flexibility for rotating shifts, overtime, and weekends.   

• Experience in a sawmill, lumber yard, or manufacturing environment.
• Experience operating multiple types of material-handling equipment (sit-down forklift, reach truck, etc.).

• Work is performed primarily in mill yard, shipping, and receiving areas with regular exposure to heat, cold, rain, noise, dust, moving equipment, and varying weather conditions.
• Regularly work in physically demanding conditions around forklifts, industrial equipment, lumber, and active production and shipping areas.
• Prolonged operation of a forklift throughout the shift, with regular sitting, standing, walking, and climbing on and off equipment.
• Frequent lifting, carrying, pushing, and pulling of materials and equipment weighing up to 50 lbs.
• Regularly twist, bend, crouch, stoop, reach, push, pull, and perform other repetitive tasks associated with forklift and material-handling operations.
• See, hear, communicate, and perform tasks requiring manual dexterity and visual acuity to safely operate equipment and navigate active production, yard, and shipping areas.
• Required use of personal protective equipment (PPE), including hard hats, safety glasses, steel-toed boots, hearing protection, and high-visibility vests, in designated production and yard areas.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the role.