Forklift Attachments Santa Clara - Forklift attachments make a variety of jobs possible. Forklift attachments make many jobs safer, easier and quicker to complete. Besides regular forklift training, operators also need to undergo proper training for every attachment they will be using.
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.
Not considering these issues will drastically increase the safety risks associated with operating the machine and its attachments. This can increase risks relating to operator safety, forklift damage, stock damage and more. There are further safety issues to take into consideration which can be discussed in more detail below.
Forklift Rating and Re-Rating
Forklifts are given lift capacity ratings by the manufacturer which will need to be adjusted if adding or changing a forklift attachment. Manufacturers of forklift attachments usually offer calculators available online to estimate the safe lifting capacity when using a particular attachment. It is important to note that only the forklift manufacturer can provide accurate lifting capacities.
Prior to installing any attachment, it is important to contact the local authorized dealer of the forklift brand being used and request that they re-rate the forklift in accordance with the attachment being considered for use. After the manufacturer of the forklift has re-rated the forklift, it should have a new factory authorized specification plate. The upgraded specification plate replaces the original plate and needs to be installed with the new forklift rating showing.
Equipment Upgrades
It is vital to note when working with forklift attachments the equipment’s hydraulic function consists of a forklift valve that has a lever located near the operator which creates two areas for pressurized hydraulic passages for oil. 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. The manufacturers of forklifts create accessories to simplify hose and valve routing. 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. There are kits available that use a solenoid valve and specialty hoses that allow for the reinforced braid to double as an electrical conduit. Since these hoses replace existing forklift hoses, they remain safe from external damage while maintaining clear vision for the operator.
Safety Considerations
Before using any type of forklift attachment, adequate training must be fulfilled. Operators need to be competent with removing, operating and fitting the attachment before using it.
There are 2 vital safety factors to think about before operating any type of forklift attachment.
The nominal load rating will be reduced on the forklift once any attachment is applied. The nominal load rating is computed with a stock fork carriage and forks. However, the actual load rating may be substantially lower.
Secondly, the forklift’s center of gravity will be affected when any forklift attachment is added. The forklift’s stability will be reduced and this needs to be computed for safety. Due to the attachment weight being situated in front of the fulcrum point, the forklift needs to be driven as though it is partially loaded even when it is empty. It is essential that operators travel slowly and make gentle turns when using any kind of forklift attachment. As noted above, each attachment should be listed on the data plate of the forklift’s capacity.
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
A list of the most common attachments and their general uses are set out below. There are many more attachments available than are listed here but this will cover the most widely-used. As you will see, the large variety of attachments available have the capacity to greatly increase the efficiency of many jobs.
SIDESHIFTER:
The sideshifter enables the forklift to move laterally for easier load placement without having to reposition the entire machine.
FORK POSITIONERS:
Fork positioners allow the forks to travel apart or together with each other to adjust for different load sizes.
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. Many attachments include 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:
Allows for grasping a load with a more squared shape, often with pressure settings. Products like cartons, boxes and bales can be moved with this type of attachment.
POLE ATTACHMENTS:
Long, metal pole used in place of forks to lift rolled items such as carpet or 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:
Allows safe and speedy removal of waste to the appropriate skip or waste compactor. Skips are available in a roll-forward type and a bottom-emptying type.
BOOMS AND JIBS:
Allow for extended reach of a forklift to transport suspended loads or loads that are stacked high or deep. They are available in different setups such as reach over and precision lifting or low profile fixed and extendable lengths.
Forklift Attachment PDF
