For forklifts these days, there are numerous attachment options offered. The majority of attachments are made to be utilized on regular forklifts and are made to be used on VNA and reach trucks. It is very vital to note that OSHA requires approval for any kind of attachment that must be approved for use by the specific manufacturer of lift truck.
The most important common attachment is the sideshift and is considered to be standard device. The sideshift apparatus allow for more accurate load positioning as well as enables the fork carriage to slide right and left. The sideshift allows the operator to be more versatile with the equipment.
Fork positioners are an attachment choice that enables the operator to adjust the distance between the forks from the cab of the truck. This specific attachment is mostly used in high volume operations where there is a wide variety of crate and pallet sizes handled.
The fork pivot allows the forks and carriage to pivot or rotate. Used for transporting and dumping hoppers which is specially designed. These attachments are extremely useful for many industrial applications.
Slip sheet attachments are another attachment that are used where slip sheets which is a paperboard, or plastic or a sheet of cardboard that are used rather than pallets. The slip sheet attachments utilize a push and pull device that clamps onto the slip sheet and pulls the cargo onto a thin platform. Then, the load is pushed off the platform when the truck reaches the destination.
Drum handling attachments are available in various designs. They are many different models attached to handle 55 gallon drums. There are several smaller versions of a paper roll clamps which go around the roll and also are capable of a full 360 degree rotation. There are other types of drum attachments which can pick up various drums all at once.
Another option is tilt control, that allows the operator to preset the fork tilt angles. For extensions slide over the forks to help lift and transport longer loads. The Carton clamp operates like a paper roll clamp except instead of being circular, the clamping surface is flat.