Forks & Forklift Attachments

The difference between crane forks and forklift attachments is their method of suspension and primary direction of movement. Crane forks suspend from overhead crane hooks to lift palletised materials vertically to high scaffold decks and upper floors, whereas forklift attachments slide over the tines of telehandlers or forklifts to convert ground-based plant into mobile cranes for slinging loads or extending forward reach.

A caged crane fork is used instead of self-levelling crane forks when site safety regulations demand absolute containment of loose materials or where work takes place above active personnel. While self-levelling forks rely on separate fabric restraint nets wrapped around the pallet, a caged crane fork features a rigid, integrated steel mesh enclosure that drops around the load automatically, eliminating manual netting and preventing bricks, blocks, or broken pallet pieces from falling.

Fitting a forklift jib or adaptor changes forklift lifting operations by converting the machine from carrying supported palletised loads on fork tines to hoisting freely suspended loads from an overhead hook. Because an attachment adds weight and projects the lifting point forward of the fork heels, the host machine's effective load centre shifts outward, requiring the operator to follow the machine's de-rated load chart to prevent tipping.

Under UK standards including BS EN 13155, secondary safety containment is required when lifting loose building materials—such as bricks, blocks, and paving slabs—overhead by crane. The lifting assembly must feature a secondary positive holding device, such as an integrated steel mesh enclosure or a certified fall restraint net wrapped around the pallet, to capture fragments or displaced materials if primary straps or pallets fail.

Yes, forklift adaptors and telescopic jibs can be mounted on site telehandlers as well as industrial forklifts, provided the fork tine dimensions match the attachment's pocket profiles. When mounted on a telehandler, operators must verify that the suspended load remains within the telehandler manufacturer's specific attachment load chart for the required boom angle and forward outreach.

Every crane fork and forklift attachment hired from Site Equipment Limited is supplied with a current six-month Report of Thorough Examination under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). Because crane forks, jibs, and adaptors are classified as lifting accessories, they undergo statutory six-monthly inspections to verify structural soundness, safety latches, and pin mechanisms before dispatch.