Which Forklift Attachment to Use Depends on What You Are Picking Up

A forklift with a standard dual fork configuration is highly efficient at picking up palletized loads. The tapered ends of the vehicles two forks fit easily between the wood or plastic blocks of the pallet so that the load can be lifted, tilted, and transported simply and safely.

But that same forklift would be essentially useless for picking up different types of loads, such as a carpet roll, a set of barrels, or a sack filled with loose heavy objects.

Different types of forklift attachments are designed for specific uses. So having the right attachment for your forklift based on the job at hand is critical to your business’s success.

Types of Forklift Attachments

There are nearly as many different types of forklift attachments as there are items to lift. There are forklift booms, carpet poles and coil rams, drum attachments, work platforms, hoppers, and even extensions that make existing forks long enough to pick up broader loads.

Forklift attachments make forklifts more versatile. The same vehicle fitted with various attachments can be used for a wide variety of jobs within the same workplace.

For example, one minute the forklift can be off-loading pallets from a truck parked next to a pier while a few minutes later it can be fitted with a boom attachment to lift nets filled with crates from a ship docked on the other side of the same pier.

Changing Out Forklift Attachments

Most forklift attachments don’t require any type of specialized equipment. Many either slide onto the forklift’s existing forks or are fitted to the mast with clips, bolts, or other common types of hardware.

Forklift attachments offer safety as well as versatility. For example, while lifting employees balanced on the forks of your vehicle to a high work area is potentially dangerous, sliding a work platform onto those same forks can get the same job done more safely.

Cost-Effective Forklift Attachments

Forklift attachments can also make financial sense for your business.

Companies that handle a lot of barrels, such as breweries or chemical plants, can make their existing fleet of forklifts more effective by simply investing in some drum attachments that allow workers to transport barrels more safely and efficiently.

Forklift mounted sweeper attachments make it easy to keep warehouse and dock floors clean and clear or potentially dangerous debris.

While standard forklifts offer a lot of versatility, specialized forklift attachments can make specific tasks more efficient for any business.