Forklift Attachments Fairfield - Many different jobs would be impossible without the help of forklift attachments. There are numerous forklift attachments that make jobs faster and safer to complete. Forklift operators require training for each attachment they will be using as well as their general forklift training.
Forklift attachments come in a wide variety of hydraulic and non-hydraulic attachments. The benefits of utilizing a forklift attachment include decreasing:
1. Employee accidents;
2. Damage to stock;
3. Manpower;
4. Time; and
5. Fuel consumption.
Equipment Considerations
A forklift attachment can replace an existing forklift attachment or can be added to a forklift that does not already have one. Several equipment-related factors must be considered before any forklift attachment is replaced or added. These considerations include:
1. The forklift type;
2. The forklift’s capacity;
3. The carriage type; and
4. The number of hydraulic functions.
Failing to take these aforementioned factors into consideration can create extra safety hazards and risks for the operator, the forklift, its’ attachments and the stock. Extra safety factors must be considered which will be discussed in more detail.
Forklift Rating and Re-Rating
These machines are provided with lift capacity ratings from the manufacturer that need adjusting when changing or adding any forklift attachments. Online calculators are available from manufacturers of forklift attachment’s to provide estimates on every attachments’ lifting capacity. It is important to note that only the forklift manufacturer can provide accurate lifting capacities.
Before installing any kind of attachment, it is essential to contact the local authorized forklift dealer of the particular forklift brand to request that they rate the machine accordingly with the attachment being used. There will be a new specification plate that is factory authorized once the forklift manufacturer has re-rated the machine. 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. While not all forklift attachments are hydraulic, hydraulic attachments often include more features than the forklift has valves. When this happens, the forklift needs to have one or more valves added. There are numerous ways a valve can be added. 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. Another possibility is to install a cable reel, solenoid valve and hose to divert oil from an alternate location. Unfortunately, hose and cable reels can sometimes block the operator's view and can be easily damaged. There are kits available that use a solenoid valve and specialty hoses that allow for the reinforced braid to double as an electrical conduit. Because these hoses replace the existing hoses housed in the forklift, the hoses are safe from damage while keeping the operator’s field of vision clear.
Safety Considerations
Prior to fitting any type of forklift attachment, proper training must be obtained. 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.
Firstly, it is important to note that any kind of forklift attachment will reduce the machine’s nominal load rating. Forks and a stock fork carriage compute the nominal load rating; although, the precise load rating may be much lower.
Secondly, the forklift’s center of gravity will be affected when any forklift attachment is added. Obviously, the stability of the forklift is reduced. Since the attachment’s weight is prominent in front of the fulcrum point on the forklift, the operator needs to drive the machine as though it is partially loaded even before it is carrying a load. Thus, when using any attachment, an operator should travel at a slow speed and make turns slowly and gently. As noted above, each attachment should be listed on the data plate of the forklift’s capacity.
To maintain safety, special checks need to be completed before using any forklift attachment. The forklift attachment needs to be the right one for the type of forklift being used, appropriate for the load at hand, correctly attached, locked in place and permitted on the data plate of the forklift.
List of Common Forklift Attachments
Discover a list of common forklift attachments and how they are utilized below. There are many more attachments available than are listed here but this will cover the most widely-used. Forklift attachments are designed to increase job efficiency for many applications.
SIDESHIFTER:
Allows the operator to move the forks laterally, allowing for easier placement of a load without the need to reposition the entire forklift.
FORK POSITIONERS:
Moves the forks together or apart in relation to one another to adjust for various load types.
DIMENSIONING DEVICES:
Provide dimensions for the cargo allowing for more efficient use of warehouse and truck trailer space and often used in conjunction with billing systems based on volume.
ROTATOR:
Assists in righting skids that have tilted, handling custom load requirements and quick unloading. Numerous attachments have a rotator feature.
ROLL AND BARREL CLAMP:
The roll and barrel clamp allows the forklift to grasp rounded loads including barrels. It is outfitted with different pressure settings to facilitate fragile options and often has a rotate function to simplify horizontal and vertical positioning.
CARTON AND MULTIPURPOSE CLAMP:
The carton and multipurpose clamp has pressure settings and is used for handling more squared shaped loads. It easily masters boxes, bales and cartons.
POLE ATTACHMENTS:
Pole attachments are placed where the forks would normally be and are used for transporting carpet and rolled up linoleum.
SLIP SHEETER OR PUSH-PULL:
Allows operator to transport slip sheets by clamping onto slip sheets, as opposed to pallets, and either pulling the slip sheet onto wide and thin metal forks for loading or pushing the slip sheet to unload. Some variations of the attachment are Save, where the slip sheet is removed for reuse, or Standard.
DRUM HANDLER:
Allows for grasping drums, either with a spring-loaded jaw to grip the top lip of a drum, or with arms that encircle the drum, for transport.
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 lift platform known as a man basket is designed to transport workers vertically. It is outfitted with brackets and railings to anchor safety harnesses.
TELESCOPIC FORKS:
Telescopic forks are used in warehouses that rely on stacking two pallets in the event one shelf is located behind another shelf with no aisle in between.
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:
Snow plows are used to remove snow and redistribute it; however, this attachment can be used with other loose kinds of material.
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:
Jibs and boom offer extended forklift reach for transporting loads that are stacked deep or high or that are suspended. There are reach-over, low profile, precision lifting and extendable length options.
Forklift Attachment PDF
