For forklifts today, there are many attachment options available. Nearly all attachments are manufactured to be used on standard lift trucks and are designed to be used on VNA and reach trucks. It is really vital to note that OSHA requires approval for any attachment which should be approved for use by the particular lift truck manufacturer.
The most important common attachment is the sideshift and is considered to be standard device. The sideshift apparatus enables the fork carriage to slide right and left as well as allow for more accurate load placement. The sideshift enables the operator to be more versatile with the equipment.
Fork positioners are an attachment option that allows the operator to adjust the distance between the forks from the cab of the truck. This particular attachment is mainly utilized in high volume operations where there is a wide array of pallet and crate sizes handled.
Fork pivots makes it possible for the forks and carriage to pivot and rotate. These attachments could be specifically designed for transporting and dumping hoppers. These attachments are really helpful for various industrial applications.
The slip sheet attachment is used to slip sheets of plastic, or paperboard or a sheet of cardboard which is utilized rather than pallets. The slip sheet attachments utilize a push and pull mechanism which clamps onto the slip sheet and pulls the cargo onto a thin platform. Afterwards, the load is pushed off the platform when the truck reaches the destination.
Drum attachments come in numerous sizes and shapes, with several models able to handle 55 gallon drums. There are several smaller types of a paper roll clamps that go around the roll and also could rotate a full 360 degrees. There are other kinds of drum attachments which are able to pick up various drums all at once.
Another option is tilt control, which allows the operator to preset the fork tilt angles. For extensions slide over the forks to help lift and move longer loads. The Carton clamp operates like a paper roll clamp except instead of being circular, the clamping surface is flat.