Forklift Attachments Tacoma - Forklift attachments make a variety of jobs possible. Forklift attachments make many jobs safer, easier and quicker to complete. Forklift operators require training for each attachment they will be using as well as their general forklift training.
Many hydraulic and non-hydraulic forklift attachments are available. They offer numerous benefits by decreasing man-power, employee accidents, fuel consumption, damage to stock and time.
Equipment Considerations
Forklift attachments can be switched out to replace existing attachments or may be used on machines that don’t currently have one. There are many equipment factors to consider prior to adding or replacing any forklift attachments. Considerations include the carriage type, the forklift model, the capacity of the forklift and the number of hydraulic functions used to power the features of the attachment.
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. 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. Online calculators are available from manufacturers of forklift attachment’s to provide estimates on every attachments’ lifting capacity. However, 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. 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. Hydraulic forklift attachments typically offer numerous features compared to the number of valves on the forklift. Not ever forklift attachment is hydraulic. 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. Due to the cost of labor and parts required, this process may not be practical. Another possibility is to install a cable reel, solenoid valve and hose to divert oil from an alternate location. The main issue is that the cable reels and hose may block the view of the operator and these items can be damaged. Special hoses and a solenoid valve kit an be used to create an electrical conduit out of the reinforced braid. Since these hoses replace existing forklift hoses, they remain safe from external damage while maintaining clear vision for the operator.
Safety Considerations
Prior to fitting any type of forklift attachment, proper training must be obtained. An operator must be competent in the fitting, operating and removal of the attachment.
Before using any forklift attachment, two safety issues need consideration.
Firstly, it is important to note that any kind of forklift attachment will reduce the machine’s nominal load rating. The nominal load rating is computed with a stock fork carriage and forks. However, the actual load rating may be substantially 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. Operators need to travel gently and slowly every time they use an attachment and take extra care while turning. Check the forklift’s capacity to ensure that every attachment is listed on the data plate.
Specific safety checks must be made prior to using each forklift attachment. The attachment must be:
1. Appropriate for the specific forklift being used;
2. Appropriate for the specific load;
3. Attached correctly;
4. Properly locked; and
5. Permitted on the forklift’s data plate.
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. The variety of attachments can drastically increase efficiency for many jobs.
SIDESHIFTER:
The operator can manipulate the forks laterally with a sideshifter. This allows for easier load placement without having to move the entire forklift.
FORK POSITIONERS:
The fork positioners adjust for different loads by moving the forks together or apart in relation to each other.
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:
Rotators help to right tilted skids and are useful for fast unloading and tackling custom load requirements. Numerous attachments have a rotator feature.
ROLL AND BARREL CLAMP:
Allows for grasping of load with a rounded shape, such as rolled material and barrels, often with various pressure setting to avoid damage to more fragile materials. These attachments sometimes also have a rotate function to assist with, for example, rotating an item from a horizontal to a vertical 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 placed where the forks would normally be and are used for transporting carpet and rolled up linoleum.
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 built for holding drums. It may have arms that encompass the drum for transporting or it may feature a spring-loaded jaw to grip the drum’s top lip.
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:
Allows operation in a warehouse using two pallet stacking where one shelf is placed directly behind another with no aisle between the two.
SCALES:
Enables operators to simultaneously weigh and transport pallets, eliminating the need to interrupt transport to travel to scales, and can be obtained in legal-for-trade weights for operations that bill by weight.
SINGLE-DOUBLE FORKS:
Allow movement of a single pallet or platform or two pallets side by side. With the correct attachment/s a single forklift can be used for multiple specialist materials handling tasks alongside normal lifting tasks, thus reducing the need for owning a specialist unit alongside a normal unit and the larger running and maintenance costs associated with multiple units.
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 facilitate fast and safe removal of waste to the proper waste or skip compactor. Skips are either a bottom-emptying model or a roll-forward 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
