Extend the Functionality of Your Truck with a Forklift Boom

If you use your forklift on a regular basis for moving pallets around your warehouse or factory floor, you may not be using your vehicle to its fullest potential.

There are many different forklift attachments that can be used to extend the usefulness of your vehicle beyond simply lifting and moving pallets of products or materials from one place to another.

One of the most useful is the forklift boom.

A forklift boom is an attachment that fits over the forks of your lift truck and features an extendable arm, or boom, that can reach out in front of the machine. The boom is held in place on the tines with chains, clamps or other securing devices.

Once attached to your lift truck, a forklift boom can act as a small crane for lifting, swinging and moving materials with more range of motion than the simple up and down lifting of a standard forklift.

Forklift booms lets operators lift objects higher and to reach over objects, just like a crane. They are ideal for such tasks as lifting construction materials up onto a roof or upper floor or for removing unwanted heavy equipment such as a furnace or air conditioning unit.

When you use a forklift boom, it’s often easier to handles heavier, bulkier or oddly-shaped items that wouldn’t ordinarily fit on the forks of your standard forklift.

Some forklift booms can telescope out, while others are kept at a fixed length. There are forklift booms that pivot from side to side or others that always remain stationary.

More advanced models have a vertical riser that supports the boom and gives it greater reach. These are sometimes called “high rise” forklift boom attachments.

Like the forklift itself, every forklift boom is rated to accommodate a maximum load.

When using a forklift boom, it’s critical that you choose one that is designed for use with your specific vehicle. In fact, it’s a violation of US Occupational Health and Safety Administration rules to use a forklift boom that isn’t approved for your specific forklift model.

Check your owner’s manual, check with the forklift retailer, or go to the manufacturer’s website if you aren’t sure if the forklift boom attachment you plan to use is approved for your forklift.

If you are unable to determine whether your forklift boom attachment is authorized for use with your model, you can ask the forklift’s original manufacturer to provide you with documentation that gives you written permission and assurance that the boom attachment can be safely used with your type of lift truck.

Forklift Accessories features a wide variety of forklift booms and other attachments to extend the use of your vehicle. Make sure you are getting the full value from your forklift by letting the friendly, helpful professionals at Forklift Accessories show you the exact attachments for your specific lift truck.