Crane man basket vs forklift man basket

FL-353 Forklift Man basket

When performing work at elevated heights safety is of the utmost importance. There are a few different ways of working at heights. In this blog we are going to dive into two different means of personnel lifting, crane man baskets and Forklift man baskets. Man baskets are the perfect tool for performing elevated work, but should you be using a crane man basket or a forklift man basket?  There are a few different factors to consider when choosing which product to use.

Crane Man Baskets

In one of our previous blogs we discussed what a man basket is. Quickly touching on that blog, crane man baskets are steel cages meant to lift personnel to extreme heights by use of a crane. Crane baskets have very stringent OSHA standards. Some of these standards include guardrails, enclosed sides up to 21″, grab rails, and lanyard tie off points.

With a crane man basket, the cage is being suspended by cables from the crane hook. These cables should be resistant to rotation and tearing.  By utilizing a crane and a man basket, personnel are able to perform work at extreme heights safely and efficiently. Crane baskets are an excellent and very safe tool however they may come with some limitations.

While crane baskets are great for reaching extreme heights they may not be right for the job when more flexibility is required. Moving side to side must be done in a very slow controlled manner. Workers should also consider tying off the basket to prevent any swaying. Some cranes like a tower crane may prevent the kind of mobility you’re looking for in order to remain efficient on the job.

Crane Man Basket Benefits

Crane man baskets provided by a quality manufacturer are load tested and built to stringent OSHA standards. These baskets can come in a variety of sizes and capacities often allowing for more personnel to be lifted than a forklift man basket. By utilizing a rotation resistant wire rope lift system you can be sure the basket will remain stable at elevation. There are also different types of crane man baskets for specialized uses including rescue cages and cantilever style baskets. A cantilever man basket allows workers to reach those tough to access locations while also keeping level.

Forklift Man Baskets

Forklift man baskets are just what the name suggests, a cage made for lifting personnel with a forklift. Many times these cages are used for general maintenance work and work on smaller size projects. Forklift man baskets are much more popular and widespread than a crane man basket. For this reason you will tend to find a lot more low quality products on the market. When lifting personnel in any circumstance it’s always best to opt for a safe OSHA certified product.

Best uses of Forklift Baskets

When performing work at lower elevations, think less than 40′ high, it is typically best to utilize a forklift basket. Forklift baskets provide much more flexibility in movement thus they are able to offer increased efficiency. Unlike large cranes, forklifts or telehandlers are capable of moving side to side much faster with their side shifting features. Even when moving from one location to another forklifts are just much more efficient than a large crane is.

OSHA Certified Forklift Man Baskets

As we mentioned earlier, forklift man baskets are very common products which often leads to some very cheaply built products. To be sure that you are safely lifting personnel you should always opt to find an OSHA certified forklift man basket.

While OSHA is much more stringent in their standards of crane baskets than they are forklift baskets, there are still some very important standards that should be followed. Perhaps most important, the basket should be secured to the forklift. There are different ways of doing this but we will just speak on how we do things. We don’t want the basket to slide at all when personnel are inside. At Lakeshore Industrial we use the pin behind the heel method to secure the man basket (see image below). Heavy duty hitch pins prevent the man basket from sliding off the forks.

Forklift man basket with pin behind the heel of the forks

OSHA compliant forklift cages should also include safety lanyard tie off points and a protective back. A protective back means the side against the forklift must be enclosed as a means of protection. There should be no gaps greater than 1/2″. This is meant to prevent things like hands being caught in the mast of the forklift. At Lakeshore Industrial we use 1/2″ expanded metal. This expanded metal covers the entire backside.

Can I use a forklift for my crane man basket?

One question we get asked is, Can I use a forklift for my crane man basket?  This question requires some nuance. A forklift may be used to transport a crane man basket, however you cannot lift the cage with a forklift when personnel are inside. The reason behind this is crane man baskets are typically built with no means to secure the basket to the forklift. If you are looking for a cage to be lifted by crane and forklift a custom cage can be built this way by Lakeshore Industrial. These are referred to as multi purpose cages.

Crane or Forklift man basket

The answer to the question forklift man basket or crane man basket ultimately comes down to the type of job you are doing. When working at extreme heights it is best to utilize a crane man basket. If you are planning to lift many employees it may also be best to use a crane basket. When working on those lower elevation jobs where mobility and efficiency is more important it is often best to opt for a forklift man basket. In either case you should always make sure safety is being prioritized by purchasing from an OSHA certified manufacturer.

It is pivotal to follow all OSHA and manufacturer guidelines on the jobsite to ensure your workers are kept safe.  For more information on the OSHA regulations visit our website. https://lakeshoreind.com/osha-regulations/