Sawmill Forklift Operator

Job Title: Sawmill Forklift Operator

Location: Bowling Green, VA

Position Summary
The Sawmill Forklift Operator is responsible for safely and efficiently moving lumber, cants, waste, supplies, and trailers throughout the sawmill and yard. This position supports production flow, yard organization, inventory movement, housekeeping, and shipment readiness.

This role requires more than basic forklift operation. The operator must be able to plan ahead, reduce unnecessary trips, anticipate production needs, and keep material moving. The position also includes banding stacks of lumber and cants, checking material, organizing loads, and supporting overall yard and mill flow.

The operator must also be able to move trailers on company property using a semi-tractor or yard tractor as needed. A CDL is not required for this position.

Essential Functions

• Safely operate a forklift to move lumber, cants, waste, supplies, and other materials throughout the sawmill and yard.
• Move material to and from production areas, storage areas, staging areas, trailers, and assigned locations.
• Operate a semi-tractor or yard tractor to move trailers on company property as needed.
• Band stacks of lumber and cants safely, neatly, and according to company requirements.
• Plan forklift moves efficiently to reduce unnecessary trips and support steady production.
• Anticipate machine center, storage, staging, and yard needs to help prevent bottlenecks or delays.
• Maintain organized lumber, cant, and material storage areas.
• Inspect loads for stability, proper stacking, banding needs, and obvious quality or safety concerns.
• Communicate clearly with machine operators, sawyers, material handlers, supervisors, maintenance employees, and other forklift operators.
• Perform routine forklift checks and report equipment issues, damage, safety concerns, or maintenance needs.
• Follow all company safety procedures, including forklift safety, pedestrian awareness, PPE, trailer movement procedures, load securement, and safe work practices around sawmill equipment.
• Perform other duties as assigned to support sawmill and yard operations.

Safety Responsibilities

• Operate forklifts, semi-tractors, yard tractors, and other equipment safely and responsibly.
• Maintain awareness of pedestrians, moving equipment, lumber stacks, trailers, blind spots, uneven surfaces, and changing yard conditions.
• Ensure loads are stable, properly supported, and transported at safe speeds.
• Use proper body positioning and safe practices when banding lumber or cants.
• Stop and report unsafe conditions, equipment concerns, damaged stacks, unstable loads, traffic hazards, or trailer movement issues immediately.
• Support a clean and organized yard and mill environment to reduce hazards and improve material flow.

Required Qualifications

• Prior forklift experience in a sawmill, lumber operation, manufacturing, warehouse, construction, farming, transportation, or similar environment.
• Ability to safely operate a forklift in tight, busy, or changing production and yard areas.
• Ability or willingness to operate a semi-tractor or yard tractor to move trailers on company property.
• Ability to band lumber or cants and perform related material-handling tasks as needed.
• Strong safety awareness and good judgment around pedestrians, production equipment, trailers, and stored material.
• Ability to think ahead, plan efficient moves, and support production flow.
• Ability to communicate clearly and work well as part of a team.
• Reliable attendance and ability to follow written and verbal instructions.
• Must be at least 18 years old.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous sawmill, lumber, pallet, wood products, warehouse, trucking yard, or industrial forklift experience.
• Experience moving trailers with a semi-tractor, yard tractor, or spotter truck.
• Experience banding lumber, cants, pallets, or other stacked material.
• Knowledge of lumber sizes, cants, stacking practices, load stability, and yard organization.
• Mechanical aptitude and ability to recognize equipment or load-handling issues.

Physical Requirements / Work Environment
This position works in an industrial pine sawmill and yard environment with exposure to noise, sawdust, moving equipment, forklifts, trailers, lumber, cants, weather conditions, uneven surfaces, and varying temperatures. The employee may be required to sit for extended periods while operating equipment, as well as stand, walk, bend, twist, reach, climb, pull banding, use banding tools, and perform material-handling tasks as needed. This role requires attention, coordination, and safe movement between forklift operation, trailer movement, and yard tasks. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Schedule
This is a full-time position. Overtime, weekends, and schedule flexibility may be required based on production, yard, maintenance, or shipping needs.

Advancement / Cross-Training Opportunity
Employees in this position may have the opportunity to cross-train in additional sawmill, yard, machine operator, or lead responsibilities based on safety record, attendance, work ethic, communication, efficiency, and ability to support mill flow.

Equal Opportunity Statement
The company is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.