What are forklift attachments and how do they work?

Forklifts are useful vehicles used in various industries to move heavy goods, but their potential could be missed. There is a wide range of attachments that make forklifts even more useful than in their simplest form, but do you know what they are and how they work?

Traditionally forklifts will be used to move goods on pallets that are being stored or shipped. But many different lifting and moving jobs can be utilised by a forklift with the right attachment. 

A multi-purpose handling tool can improve the capability of your forklift. These attachments can be used to push, scoop, hoist, clamp or carry. 

Below we run you through some of the more popular forklift attachments and explain how they work. 

Forklift attachments and how they work 

Skips 

Forklift skips allow waste to be moved using an industrial truck. The skips are designed so that they can be tipped easily to remove the contents. However, if it’s not possible to tip the skips, you can also use a tip with a drop-bottom, where the contents are removed via a base-release mechanism. 

There are various forklift skip attachments that can be used in various industries. If you’d like to discuss this further, please do get in touch with us today. Our experienced staff is available to assist with any questions you may have. 

Jibs and hooks

The addition of a jib and hook to your forklift essentially turns it into a mini hoist or crane. They simply work by sliding the jib over the fork prongs, and attached is a hook which is used to move the item that needs to be hoisted up. 

There are even further attachments that can be used for this, such as bulk bag lifting frames which use the jib and hook to move filled industrial bags. 

Safety cage 

Forklift cages are ideal for attaching to the truck for unscheduled emergency work. When specialist lifting equipment cannot be brought in, a forklift safety cage offers a safe solution for accessing areas that are hard to reach via a ladder or otherwise. 

Drum attachment 

You can attach a drum instrument to a forklift, which allows for simple but efficient lifting of steel and plastic drums. This attachment is ideal for the transportation of hazardous materials. 

These drum attachments can be used to lift and pour the drum if needed. Different methods of lifting these attachments exist, so you’ll need to find the best option for your needs. 

Fork extensions 

These do exactly what they say, they extend the length of the fork on a forklift. They’re a simple solution for lifting pallets that are larger than normal or a load that’s too big for the length of a forklift truck’s forks. 

These attachments are easy to use, they simply slide over the existing forks and are secured with heel pins to guarantee they don’t move during use. 

To ensure that your forklift doesn’t topple over with extremely heavy loads, you need to ensure that you don’t extend your fork length by 66%. 

Snow Plough 

Forklift snow plough attachments are designed to move heavy snow with ease. These attachments can be used for things like moving debris too. Highly innovative and extremely reliable. You might be wondering if you’d get your use out of this attachment, but when it comes to using it, you’ll be happy you invested. 

Would these forklift attachments be useful for you? 

Would any of these forklift attachments be useful for you and your business and help with productivity? If you’re not sure what is best for you, then please contact us, and we’ll do our best to help.