Warehousing and 3PL drivers and staff
Forklift and reach truck drivers, pickers, packers and loaders for warehouses and third-party logistics sites.
The work
A third-party logistics company, known as a 3PL, stores and moves goods for other businesses. A 3PL warehouse might hold stock for several clients, pick and pack their orders, load trailers and handle returns. Warehouse work follows the same flow at most sites: goods in, put away, pick, pack, load and despatch.
Operatives do the hands-on work. Forklift and reach truck drivers put pallets away and bring them down, pickers collect orders from the racking, packers make up orders for despatch, and loaders fill trailers. Scanners tell people what to pick, where to put it and when an order is complete. Accuracy matters, and so does pace.
Demand is uneven. Warehouses need extra people at peak periods, when orders and returns rise, and operators book agency staff to cover them. A worker who can start at short notice, follow the site’s safety rules and keep to the pace is useful in the first week. A client can also ask to take on someone who has done well, which is the temp-to-perm route.
Vehicles and loads
- Counterbalance forklifts for loading bays and yards
- Reach trucks for racked aisles
- Hand and powered pallet trucks
- Handheld scanners and headsets that direct picking
Licences, cards and tickets
- A training certificate for the truck type, from a provider working to a recognised standard such as AITT, ITSSAR, NPORS or RTITB.
- No driving licence is needed for warehouse work inside the building.
- Manual handling training, because warehouse work involves lifting and moving loads.
- A site induction and the safety footwear and clothing the site names.
- Right to work in the UK, checked before the first shift.
Shift patterns
- Earlies
- Morning shifts that get orders picked and loaded for the day’s despatch. Start times are set by the site.
- Lates
- Afternoon and evening shifts that receive deliveries and prepare the next day’s orders.
- Nights
- Overnight shifts at sites that operate around the clock. The working time rules on night work apply.
- Weekends
- Saturday and Sunday shifts at sites that pick and despatch through the weekend, and extra cover at peak.
Checks we run for warehousing and 3PL
Forklift certificate
We check that the certificate names the truck type and comes from a provider working to a recognised standard.
Right to work
Checked before the first shift on every booking, with a record kept.
References
We ask referees about attendance, pace, accuracy and safe working.
Induction
We pass on the site’s induction time, shift pattern and PPE requirements before the first shift.
The full list of checks is on the compliance checks page.
Roles in warehousing and 3PL
Where we cover it
Questions about warehousing and 3PL work
- Do I need a forklift ticket to work in a warehouse?
Not to pick, pack or load. Driving a truck needs training for the truck type, and HSE encourages the use of a certificate from an accredited provider as evidence of it. The site confirms what it accepts.
- What is a 3PL?
A third-party logistics company. It stores, picks, packs and sends goods on behalf of other businesses, so a single warehouse can serve several clients.
- Can a temp be taken on permanently?
Yes. A client can take on a worker it has used as a temp. The terms for that are agreed in writing before the first shift, so both sides know the position.
- What should I bring on the first day?
The site tells us what to bring, and we pass it on before the shift. Bring proof of identity, and wear safety boots if the site asks for them.
Book warehouse staff
Give us the site, the truck type if it matters, the shift pattern, the number of people and the start date. We come back on who can cover it.