Forklift Truck Attachments

Lift trucks predominately have forks fitted as standard, however, various forklift truck attachments can be fitted to make life in the workplace much easier.

There are forklift truck attachments for every application and using the right one can result in higher productivity, it can also prolong the truck’s life and prevent damage and equally decrease the stress on the road.  Ultimately using the right attachments can save you time and money so do your homework!

Types Of lift Truck Attachments

Forks

The main lift truck attachment is forks. The simple design of 2 tapered metal prongs allows easy entry/withdrawal into pallets. Thousands of pallets are moved in and around the country using the standard forks fitted. Usually forklift training is carried out while fork attachments are fitted.

Clamp Attachments

Clamps are an integral tool when working in the paper industry. Raw paper material is usually brought in on reels. The clamps are used to create a tight fit around the large reels. This prevents the rolls slipping.

This type of attachment also come in non-rounded clamps (straight clamps) These are ideal for lifting large heavy bales.

Pole Attachment

Pole attachments are commonly used in the carpet industry. As the name suggests, this attachment is a long metal pole attached to the carriage plate on the lift truck. Manoeuvring the lift truck with the pole attachment on can bit quite tricky due to the overall size of the lift truck increasing.

A word of warning….Due to the nature of this equipment, the load centre tends to increase dramatically when using this attachment. Always be sure to do your calculations to make sure you are able to lift your load.

Check out our guide to understanding what your lift truck can lift for more information on this.

Do I Need Training If New Attachments Are Fitted?

Yes, following basic training companies are to the provide job specific training and familiarisation training to ensure trainees are using the attachment correctly. 

Please contact Keylift if you need any additional information on this.

We can also provide checklist booklets for companies to ensure their information is up to date and accessible for all.

   Before adding the attachment, it is critical that you, the driver, understand how the different attachments will affect the load capacity. As I have previously mentioned, the attachment will ultimately change the rated capacity on the truck but when you add attachments such as a clamp or pole then this changes the way the load is lifted and. Make sure you give the operators training that will enable the candidate to be proficient.

Who Can Fit The Attachment?

First and foremost, and I cannot stress this enough, the attachments must be fitted by a qualified and competent person. Otherwise you risk the chance that the attachments will not connect properly then you are not only increasing the risk of truck damage but also putting your employees in danger.  Trucks can overturn and lose loads but also injure people so follow the guidelines given by your manufacturer.

Does The Capacity Plate Need Updating If New Attachments Are Fitted?

You must remember that adding any form of attachment can and will change the rated capacity so that’s something you need to be aware of.  When you add any form of attachment to a truck, it is paramount that the data plate is updated to reflect the change in rated capacity.  The data plate should be located in an area where it is visible to the driver such as at eye level on the mast.  The rated capacity should inform you of the weights your forklift can lift safely.

Drop us a line, if you require any more information.