14 Oct 2024
THE BEST FORKLIFT ATTACHMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION SITES
Forklift trucks are essential tools on construction sites, allowing workers to efficiently transport materials quickly and safely. However, their versatility can be significantly expanded through the use of various attachments, quickly transforming a standard forklift into a multi-functional machine that can handle specialised tasks.
Carefully considered selection of forklift attachments will undoubtedly have positive impacts on your project, dramatically increasing efficiency and safety. Here, we look at the most common and best suited attachments used on construction sites, and what benefits they deliver.
FORK EXTENSIONS
Fork Extensions are one of the simplest yet most effective attachments for a forklift truck. As the name suggests, these attachments extend the length of the forklifts standard forks, allowing operators to handle longer or bulkier materials that would otherwise be unsafe or impossible to move.
Particularly on construction sites, fork extensions are used for handling construction materials like trusses, pallets of building suppliers, and large sheets of drywall. They are especially useful in situations where oversized or awkward shaped loads are frequently encountered.
Compared to other types of attachments, extensions are relatively inexpensive, considering they range of benefits and applications they support. Check out our range of Fork Extensions HERE.
CARPET POLES
Also known as Rug Rams, carpet booms are long, cylindrical attachments used to handle large, heavy rolled up materials such as carpets and fabric rolls.. While their primary usage is typically industries such as textiles, carpet poles have their place on construction sites, where they assist in the movement of insulation rolls and wire coils.
JIB CRANE ATTACHMENTS
Jib attachments transform a forklift into a small mobile crane, providing the ability to lift and move materials and heavy loads vertically. These attachments typically consist of a long, extendable arm with a hook at the end, allowing the truck to hoist and transport loads easily with standard forks.
Using a jib attachment is often a more affordable option that renting/buying a crane, particularly for small to medium-sized projects. In construction, forklift jibs are ideal for hoisting and positioning items such as steel beams, HVAC units, piping, and other heavy materials. They are most typically used for loading materials onto higher levels of a structure, or for setting large equipment in its rightful place.
Our range of forklift crane attachments offer total flexibility, are highly adjustable, and come in a range of lengths and configurations.
SKIPS
Construction projects often require a clearance phase, where a skip is typically the most ideal solution. Conventional skip hire requires the drop-off/collection of a skip onto the back of a lorry, but once the skip is dropped on site, it cannot be moved.
By investing in a forklift skip attachment, site workers are now afforded the ability to pick-up and drop-off a skip wherever and whenever they need on site, giving sites unlimited flexibility.
Forklift skips come in a range of sizes and configurations, such as tipping skips, slips with crane lifting lugs, low height skips, and bottom emptying skips, as well as models with side extensions and pallet cages.
SIDE SHIFTERS
A forklift side shift is an attachment that allows the operator to shift loads from side to side without moving the forklift itself. This added flexibility can save time and increase precision when placing materials, especially in tight places such as scaffolding and storage yards.
SPECIALIST ATTACHMENTS
The scope of every construction project is different, and often, specialist equipment is required. At LES – Lifting Equipment Store, we have access to a wide range of specialist forklift attachments, such as gritters, boot wash station, road and magnetic sweepers, bottle carriers, mortar tubs, scoops and snow ploughs, as well as tilters, spreader beams, portable toilet frames, and personnel lifting platforms.
Typically, all of the above solutions can become increasingly expensive should they be purchased as stand-along items, therefore, by purchasing them as additions to your current forklift truck, costs will be significantly reduced, and provide site workers with a multitude of lifting solutions at their fingertips.
FINAL NOTE
Choosing the right forklift truck attachments will increase efficiency, safety, and productivity no ends. Whether you need to extend your reach, make precise adjustments, rotate, or lift vertically, our range of forklift attachments will turn your standard truck into a multi-faceted machine. Investing in the right attachments will ensure that construction sites run smoothly, reduce downtime, and maximise the use of existing equipment – all at a low costs.
B y outfitting your forklift trucks with these pieces of equipment, construction sites can tackle a broader range of tasks, making your forklift one of the most valuable assets on the job site.
Should you require any further information on our forklift truck attachments, or assistance in choosing the right one for your application, please contact our in-house team, who are fully trained on our products and the industries we serve.
