Forklift Attachments Gresham - Forklift attachments make a variety of jobs possible. There are numerous forklift attachments that make jobs faster and safer to complete. In addition to general forklift training, operators must be properly training for each attachment they intent to use.
There are many non-hydraulic attachments and hydraulic attachments available for forklift attachments. They provide many benefits including decreasing fuel consumption, time, man-power, damage to stock and employee accidents.
Equipment Considerations
Forklift attachments can replace existing attachments or may be added to a machine that doesn’t already have one. Various considerations need to be taken prior to adding or replacing any forklift attachment. These considerations include the kind of forklift, the machine’s capacity, the number of hydraulic functions required to power the attachment’s and the type of carriage.
Failure to properly consider these factors will increase the safety risk associated with operation of a forklift and its attachments and increase the risk for damage to the forklift, the attachment and surrounding area, including stock. Further safety factors must also be taken into consideration, which will be discussed in greater detail below.
Forklift Rating and Re-Rating
Manufacturers give forklifts a lift capacity rating that needs to be considered and adjusted when adding or changing forklift attachments. Manufacturers of forklift attachments usually offer calculators available online to estimate the safe lifting capacity when using a particular attachment. However, only the forklift manufacturer can provide accurate lifting capacities.
The first step before installing any attachment is to get in touch with the authorized local forklift dealer to request that that forklift brand is re-rated accordingly with the attachment. Once the forklift manufacturer has re-rated the machine, it will ideally have a new specification plate that is factory authorized. This new specification plate will replace the original plate and should be installed showing the new rating for the forklift.
Equipment Upgrades
Forklift attachments rely on the machine’s hydraulic function and are made up of a forklift valve that has a lever situated close to the operator. This creates two passages of pressurized hydraulic oil for powering the attachment features. Note that not every attachment is hydraulic; however, the hydraulic attachments provide more features compared to the number of valves the forklift offers. When this happens, the forklift needs to have one or more valves added. There are several methods of adding a valve. There are many ways to add a forklift valve.Equipment manufacturers make forklift accessories for hose routing and valve placement. However, the parts and labor to install these can be so expensive as to make this option impractical. Other options include adding a cable reel and a hose in conjunction with a solenoid valve to divert oil from an existing location. However, the operators’ view may be compromised due to the cable reels and hose installation. These parts also may be easily damaged by their location. Special hoses and a solenoid valve kit an be used to create an electrical conduit out of the reinforced braid. These hoses are designed to replace existing ones and stay free from being damaged. The operator can enjoy a clear view with this option.
Safety Considerations
Before using any type of forklift attachment, adequate training must be fulfilled. The operator needs to be able to remove, fit and operate the attachment.
Two important safety factors must be considered before the use of any forklift attachment.
First, any attachment on a forklift will reduce its nominal load rating, as mentioned above. Forks and a stock fork carriage compute the nominal load rating; although, the precise load rating may be much lower.
Using any type of forklift attachment will affect the center of gravity on the machine. The forklift’s stability will be reduced and this needs to be computed for safety. Because the weight of the attachment will be placed in front of the forklift’s fulcrum point, it is necessary to drive the forklift as though it is partially loaded, even prior to picking up a load. It is essential that operators travel slowly and make gentle turns when using any kind of forklift attachment. Check the forklift’s capacity to ensure that every attachment is listed on the data plate.
Certain safety checks need to be done before using any kind of attachment. The forklift attachment must be permitted on the forklift’s data plate, locked properly, correctly attached, appropriate for the particular load and appropriate for the type of forklift being used.
List of Common Forklift Attachments
Discover a list of common forklift attachments and how they are utilized below. There are numerous forklift attachments and this list will cover the most popular. The variety of attachments can drastically increase efficiency for many jobs.
SIDESHIFTER:
The sideshifter enables the forklift to move laterally for easier load placement without having to reposition the entire machine.
FORK POSITIONERS:
Moves the forks together or apart in relation to one another to adjust for various load types.
DIMENSIONING DEVICES:
Dimensioning devices offer cargo dimensions to create more warehouse efficiency and better truck and trailer space. This is commonly used with billing systems that record volume.
ROTATOR:
A rotator helps to straighten tilted skids and handle custom load requirements and fast unloading. Numerous attachments have a rotator feature.
ROLL AND BARREL CLAMP:
The roll and barrel clamp simplifies grasping rounded loads such as barrels. It has numerous pressure settings for handling fragile items with less damage potential. This attachment often has a rotate function to change the load from a vertical to a horizontal position.
CARTON AND MULTIPURPOSE CLAMP:
The carton and multipurpose clamp is for grasping loads with a squared shape. It also features pressure settings to handle bales, boxes and cartons.
POLE ATTACHMENTS:
Pole attachments are long metal poles in place of the forks. They are useful for picking up linoleum and rolled up carpet or similar items.
SLIP SHEETER OR PUSH-PULL:
The slip sheeter or push-pull allows the operator to move sheets by clamping onto slip sheets. This is an option instead of relying on pallets. The slip sheet can be moved onto thin and wide metal forks to simplify loading or unloading by pushing the slip sheet. The “Save” variation allows the slip sheet to be taken off for reuse later. The “Standard,” attachment variation is another option.
DRUM HANDLER:
The drum handler is specifically designed to transport drums. It might feature arms to hold the drum or be a spring-loaded model to grip the top lid.
DRUM AND STORAGE BIN TIPPER:
The drum and storage bin tipper is designed for easier transport of liquid items or loose materials into bigger containers.
MAN BASKET:
The man basket is a lift platform to allow workers to complete jobs with brackets and railings and safety harnesses.
TELESCOPIC FORKS:
Allows operation in a warehouse using two pallet stacking where one shelf is placed directly behind another with no aisle between the two.
SCALES:
Scales allow forklift operators to weigh their pallets during transport. This increases efficiency by providing simultaneous data and not making the operator travel back and forth to scales. This attachment can be used for operators who bill by weight in legal-for-trade applications.
SINGLE-DOUBLE FORKS:
Single-double forks facilitate movement of a single platform or pallet or two side-by-side pallets. This is useful for transporting specialty items with the right attachments employed. It can be used with normal lifting tasks and stops the need for owning two separate machines. This greatly reduces the cost of maintenance and operation that is used with multiple forklifts.
SNOW PLOW:
Originally designed for snow removal, snow plow attachments can be used to move other loose items.
SKIPS:
Skips enable quick and safe waste removal to a skip or waste compactor. They may feature a bottom-emptying design or be a roll-forward model.
BOOMS AND JIBS:
Booms and jibs allow forklifts extended reach. They are available to transport deep or highly stacked loads, suspended loads and more. These attachments can be low profile, precision lifting or reach over models to facilitate extended lengths.
Forklift Attachment PDF
