Order Picker vs Reach Truck: 4 Questions That Decide It (With OSHA Rules and Real Prices)

An order picker is the right buy when the job is pulling individual cases or items out of racking and the operator has to go up to the shelf to do it. A reach truck is the right buy when the job is putting whole pallets into racking and bringing them back down, with the operator staying at floor level. On Warehouse Gear Hub, an EKKO EOPS20-130 semi-electric order picker is $4,844.05, the EKKO EOP70 electric mid-level order picker is $31,349.05, and an EKKO ER15-138Li lithium walkie reach truck is $24,224.05. The order picker vs reach truck decision comes down to the four questions below, which take you from the job to the part number, with OSHA's truck classes and fall protection letters quoted from osha.gov, the training and capacity rules quoted from 29 CFR 1910.178, and every capacity, lift height and price from the product pages.

Is an order picker a forklift?

Yes, the way OSHA counts them. OSHA's forklift classifications page sorts powered industrial trucks into classes, and both machines sit in Class II, "Electric motor narrow aisle trucks." An order picker is Lift Code 2, listed as "Order Picker." A reach truck is Lift Code 3, listed as "Reach Type Outrigger." They share a class and the 29 CFR 1910.178 rulebook; the lift code is where they split.

The lift code matters for training. 29 CFR 1910.178(l)(4)(ii)(D) lists "The operator is assigned to drive a different type of truck" as a trigger for refresher training, so a certified reach truck operator does not step onto an order picker without it, and the reverse. The same section, at (l)(4)(iii), requires that "An evaluation of each powered industrial truck operator's performance shall be conducted at least once every three years."

The two machines split on one design decision. A reach truck raises the load and leaves the operator on the floor, walking behind the tiller on a walkie model like the EKKO ER15 or standing in the cab on a stand-up model like the EKKO EK18RRL. An order picker raises the operator. On the EKKO EOP70, the product page states the unit "elevates both the operator and forks simultaneously," with a maximum picking height of 258.01 inches. On the semi-electric EKKO EOPS20 series, the operator stands on the platform and lifts electrically to 130, 157 or 177 inches, and the unit is pushed by hand between locations.

Question 1: Are you moving pallets or picking cases?

Count what crosses the dock in a shift. If it is whole pallets going into racking and coming back out, a reach truck does the job, and an order picker is the wrong shape for it. Single cases pulled from several different pallets to build one outbound order are order picker work, because a reach truck turns each of those picks into a pallet down, a hand pick, and a pallet back up.

The capacities make the split plain. Per the product pages, the EKKO ER15-138Li carries 3,300 lb on 45.3 inch forks with 19.7 inches of reach, side shift and tilt. The EKKO EK18RRL carries 4,000 lb at a 24 inch load center from 0 to 157 inches, stepping down to 3,080 lb from 177 to 196 inches, with 22.44 inches of reach and forks that adjust from 7.9 to 35.04 inches. Those are pallet numbers. The EKKO EOPS20 is rated for 440 lb, and its product page describes it as a stand-on picker for retrieving items from racking, not a pallet handler. The EOP70 is the crossover: 2,200 lb at a 19.68 inch load center on 42.13 inch forks, so it carries a pallet to the pick face and the operator picks from it at height.

Model we stock	Type	Who goes up	Rated capacity, per product page	Pallet handling
EKKO EOPS20-130, EOPS20-157, EOPS20-177	Semi-electric order picker, stand-on, manual travel	Operator	440 lb	No, items only
Apollolift A-5001 mini order picker	Full electric order picker, stand-on, powered travel	Operator	200 lb load tray, 330 lb load deck	No, load tray only
EKKO EOP70	Electric mid-level order picker, stand-on, powered travel	Operator and forks together	2,200 lb at 19.68 in load center	Yes, 42.13 in forks, adjustable, plus auxiliary fork
EKKO ER15-138Li, ER15-177Li, ER15-189Li, ER15-216Li	Lithium walkie reach truck	Load only, operator walks behind	3,300 lb	Yes, 45.3 in forks, 19.7 in reach, side shift, tilt
EKKO EK18RRL	Stand-up narrow aisle reach truck	Load only, operator stands in cab	4,000 lb at 24 in load center to 157 in; 3,080 lb at 177 to 196 in	Yes, 42 in forks, 22.44 in reach, side shift, tilt

Read the capacity column against your heaviest pallet, not your average one. 29 CFR 1910.178(o)(2) is one line: "Only loads within the rated capacity of the truck shall be handled." On the EK18RRL that means 3,080 lb at the top of the mast, not 4,000.

Question 2: How high is the pick, and how wide is the aisle?

Measure the top beam you pick from, not the roof. BigRentz's order picker guide gives the bands the industry uses: low-level pickers work up to about 10 feet, mid-level pickers from 10 to 30 feet, and high-level pickers from 30 feet up, with some models past 40. The EKKO EOPS20 series lifts to 130, 157 or 177 inches, which the product pages state as 10.83, 13.1 and 14.75 feet, so it covers a low-level rack and the first mid-level beams. The EOP70 lifts its forks to 196 inches and puts the operator at a 258.01 inch maximum picking height, which is 21.5 feet.

Reach trucks are specified by raised fork height, since the operator never leaves the floor. The ER15 walkie reach truck comes in 138, 177, 189 and 216 inch raised heights, and the 216 inch model lists 66.9 inches of free lift, which is how far the forks rise before the mast extends, a number that matters when you lift inside a trailer or under a low door. The EK18RRL lifts to 196 inches with 53.15 inches of free lift.

Aisle width is the other half of this question. OSHA's narrow aisles page says conventional rack systems were designed for a counterbalanced lift truck that "requires about a 12 ft (144 in) aisle width," and that narrow aisle systems with reach trucks and order pickers "operate in much narrower aisle widths." The EOP70 product page lists 122.24 inches for a crossways pallet and 126.77 inches lengthways. The EK18RRL is 54.72 inches wide and turns in 75 inches. The EOPS20 is 33.46 inches wide and 51.18 inches long, and the Apollolift A-5001 lists a recommended aisle width of 68.9 inches and a 51.2 inch turning radius. If the aisle is already built, measure it before you shortlist anything.

Question 3: Who goes up, the load or the operator?

This is the question that changes your safety program, so it gets the most space.

On a reach truck, the operator stays on the floor and the load goes up. The hazards OSHA's narrow aisles page lists for reach trucks are "Danger of overloading, especially on high lift" and "Danger of tipover." Its instructions are "Check pallet weight before lifting," "Place heaviest loads on the bottom racks, and lighter loads on the top," and "Do not lift the heaviest load to the maximum lift or stacking height," because "There may be a loss of stability." That is why the EK18RRL's capacity steps down above 177 inches, and why the nameplate rule in 1910.178(a)(6), "all nameplates and markings are in place and are maintained in a legible condition," matters on a reach truck more than on most machines.

On an order picker, the operator is the thing being lifted. The same OSHA page describes order picker trucks as "designed to lift the operator to retrieve items," and its instructions are "Wear appropriate fall protection equipment that is properly fitted and adjusted" and "Ensure that employees are trained in the proper use of the fall protection equipment," followed by "OSHA strongly encourages the use of body harnesses on elevated platforms of powered industrial trucks." The rule behind that sits in two letters of interpretation:

• December 12, 2002. OSHA's letter to Dunaway & Cross states there are no general industry standards that require harnesses or prohibit body belts on elevated powered industrial truck platforms, then closes the gap with the General Duty Clause: falling from such a platform "would be considered a recognized hazard," so "OSHA would require a body belt and lanyard" as the minimum, and employers who fail to provide it "would be cited under Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act." It adds that body harnesses "rather than body belts are the appropriate form of fall protection" for this work.
• June 28, 2004. OSHA's letter to Horizon Hobby confirms 1910.178 "does not have provisions that require either the use of a body harness or safety belt," then points to ASME B56.1-2000, Section 4.17.2(c), which requires restraining means "whenever an operator-up high lift truck is used to elevate personnel." The listed means are railings, chains, cable, body belts with lanyards, or deceleration devices, and OSHA "strongly encourages employers to use body harnesses in place of body belts."

In practice: every order picker operator gets a full body harness and a lanyard tied to the truck's tether point, before the first lift. Ask us for the anchor point location on the model you are quoting and we will confirm it with EKKO. Riding is one person: 1910.178(m)(3) reads "Unauthorized personnel shall not be permitted to ride on powered industrial trucks," so a second picker gets a second machine. And 1910.178(q)(7) applies to both trucks: each one "shall be examined before being placed in service," and "Such examination shall be made at least daily."

The semi-electric EOPS20 belongs in the same program. It is pushed by hand between picks and lifts electrically, and the product page lists overload protection, dual brakes, safety brackets and an emergency stop/down button as standard. The person on its platform at 177 inches is as far off the floor as the person on a powered picker, so write it into the same harness, training and daily inspection routine.

Question 4: What does the price difference buy?

The spread is wide, from under $5,000 to over $43,000, and each step up buys a specific thing. All prices below are as listed on Warehouse Gear Hub as of this writing, battery and charger included on every EKKO model.

Model we stock	Type	Capacity	Lift height	Power	Price as listed
EKKO EOPS20-130	Semi-electric order picker	440 lb	130 in	12V/120Ah lead acid, electric lift, manual travel	$4,844.05
EKKO EOPS20-157	Semi-electric order picker	440 lb	157 in	12V/120Ah lead acid, electric lift, manual travel	$5,129.05
EKKO EOPS20-177	Semi-electric order picker	440 lb	177 in	12V/120Ah lead acid, electric lift, manual travel	$5,414.05
Apollolift A-5001 mini order picker	Full electric order picker	200 lb tray, 330 lb deck	118 in platform, 197 in max reachable	24V/105Ah gel, powered travel and lift	$11,000.00
EKKO EOP70	Electric mid-level order picker	2,200 lb at 19.68 in load center	196 in forks, 258.01 in picking height	24V/350Ah lead acid, AC drive, powered travel and lift	$31,349.05
EKKO ER15-138Li	Lithium walkie reach truck	3,300 lb	138 in	24V/200Ah lithium, AC drive	$24,224.05
EKKO ER15-216Li	Lithium walkie reach truck	3,300 lb	216 in, 66.9 in free lift	24V/200Ah lithium, AC drive	$28,499.05
EKKO EK18RRL	Stand-up narrow aisle reach truck	4,000 lb at 24 in load center; 3,080 lb at 177 to 196 in	196 in, 53.15 in free lift	48V/420Ah lead acid, AC drive	$43,699.05

The EOPS20 at $4,844.05 to $5,414.05 is priced as a ladder replacement: 440 lb, electric lift, a person pushing it between bays. It weighs 705.5 to 925 lb, which is the figure to check against a mezzanine floor rating if that is where it will work. The jump to the EOP70 at $31,349.05 buys powered travel, a 2,200 lb fork carriage, 258 inches of picking height and a 6,600 lb service weight, which is a number to check against your dock plates and any raised floor before it arrives.

Reach trucks sit between those two. The ER15 walkie models run $24,224.05 to $28,499.05 and the stand-up EK18RRL is $43,699.05, and the extra $15,200.00 on the EK18RRL buys 700 lb more capacity below 157 inches, a 48V system, and a cab the operator stands in for a full shift instead of walking behind a tiller. One pairing is worth pricing: an EOPS20-130 and an ER15-138Li together come to $29,068.10, which is $2,280.95 less than one EOP70, and it gives you a dedicated picker and a dedicated pallet truck instead of one machine trying to do both.

Which should you buy: order picker or reach truck?

Match the job to the line that describes it.

• Picking items from racking up to 177 inches, light duty, budget under $6,000: EKKO EOPS20-130 ($4,844.05), EOPS20-157 ($5,129.05) or EOPS20-177 ($5,414.05), sized to the top beam you pick from. 440 lb, stand-on, electric lift, pushed between bays.
• Light picking with powered travel in a 69 inch aisle: Apollolift A-5001 ($11,000.00). 118 in platform height, 197 in max reachable height, 200 lb tray, 330 lb deck.
• Case picking all shift up to 258 inches, and the picker also has to carry a pallet: EKKO EOP70 ($31,349.05). 2,200 lb forks, operator and forks rise together, 122.24 in aisle for a crossways pallet.
• Pallets in and out of racking up to 216 inches, operator on foot: EKKO ER15-138Li ($24,224.05) through ER15-216Li ($28,499.05). 3,300 lb, reach, side shift, tilt, lithium.
• Pallets to 196 inches at 4,000 lb, full shift, stand-up cab: EKKO EK18RRL ($43,699.05). 3,080 lb above 177 in, 75 in turning radius.
• Both jobs in one building: an EOPS20 plus an ER15, $29,068.10 for the two base models, each operator certified on their own truck type per 1910.178(l).

Every model above is in the EKKO Lifts collection, where Warehouse Gear Hub is an authorized EKKO dealer. Rolling ladders for picks below 10 feet are in the Ladders collection, and pallet stackers for lighter pallet work are in the Stackers collection. For a wider look at where a walk-behind machine stops and a sit-down truck starts, read our walkie stacker vs forklift guide. If the job lands between two lines, call 1-800-794-1049, 8 AM to 4 PM Central, with your top beam height, aisle width and heaviest pallet weight. We price match, volume and B2B orders get a written quote, and the harness anchor point on the picker you choose is confirmed with EKKO before that quote goes out.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an order picker and a reach truck?

An order picker lifts the operator to the shelf so they can pick individual cases or items; a reach truck lifts the load and leaves the operator on the floor, extending its forks into racking to place or pull a whole pallet. OSHA's forklift classifications page puts both in Class II, electric motor narrow aisle trucks: order pickers are Lift Code 2 and reach trucks are Lift Code 3, "Reach Type Outrigger." On Warehouse Gear Hub, the EKKO EOP70 order picker carries 2,200 lb and raises the operator to a 258.01 inch picking height; the EKKO ER15-138Li reach truck carries 3,300 lb to 138 inches with the operator walking behind.

Do you need a harness on an order picker?

Yes, treat it as required. OSHA's December 12, 2002 letter states that falling from an elevated powered industrial truck platform is a recognized hazard under Section 5(a)(1), that "OSHA would require a body belt and lanyard" at minimum, and that body harnesses "rather than body belts are the appropriate form of fall protection." Its June 28, 2004 letter points to ASME B56.1 Section 4.17.2(c), which requires restraining means whenever an operator-up high lift truck elevates personnel. Buy a full body harness and lanyard for each operator and tie off to the truck's anchor point before the first lift.

How high can an order picker go?

It depends on the level. BigRentz's order picker guide gives low-level at up to about 10 feet, mid-level at 10 to 30 feet and high-level at 30 feet and beyond. The models on Warehouse Gear Hub run from the EKKO EOPS20-130 at 130 inches (10.83 feet) through the EOPS20-177 at 177 inches (14.75 feet) to the EKKO EOP70, which lifts its forks to 196 inches and gives a 258.01 inch maximum picking height, or 21.5 feet.

Can a reach truck be used for order picking?

Only by bringing the pallet down. A reach truck keeps the operator on the floor, so picking one case from a pallet stored at 177 inches means lowering the pallet, picking by hand, and lifting it back, three moves for one pick. That works for a few picks a day. A pick-and-pack operation needs a dedicated order picker such as the EKKO EOPS20 series or the EOP70.

Can an order picker pick up a pallet?

Some can. The EKKO EOP70 is rated for 2,200 lb at a 19.68 inch load center on 42.13 inch forks, so it carries a pallet and raises it with the operator. The EKKO EOPS20 series is rated for 440 lb and built for retrieving items from racking, not pallets, and the Apollolift A-5001 carries 200 lb on its load tray. For full-pallet work at 3,300 to 4,000 lb, use a reach truck.

How much does an order picker cost?

On Warehouse Gear Hub as of this writing, the EKKO EOPS20 semi-electric order pickers are $4,844.05 (130 in), $5,129.05 (157 in) and $5,414.05 (177 in), the Apollolift A-5001 mini order picker is $11,000.00, and the EKKO EOP70 electric mid-level order picker is $31,349.05. For comparison, the EKKO ER15 walkie reach trucks run $24,224.05 to $28,499.05 and the EK18RRL stand-up reach truck is $43,699.05. Battery and charger are included on every EKKO model listed.