Over recent years telehandlers have become an integral part of many job sites. These heavy-duty machines have evolved to take on a large number of lower elevation lift jobs. In this blog we will focus on how you can use your telehandler to safely lift personnel on the work site with the use of telehandler platforms.
Perhaps the most common use of telehandlers is in the construction industry. In construction you must be able to maneuver through rough terrain and often lift workers to heights not reachable by ladder. This is where a telehandler or forklift man basket come in to play. Not only are you able to maneuver around job sites effectively but you’re also able to save countless time. Imagine never needing to set up scaffolding again. When you use a machine like a telehandler with a safe work platform attachment, setting up scaffolding can become a thing of the past.
Telehandler and forklift man baskets are platforms attached to the forks or tines of your machine meant to lift your personnel. When correctly built some of the safety features should include grab rails, a latch-able gate, safety lanyard attachments and a way to safely secure the lift platform to the forks. We at Lakeshore Industrial use a heavy-duty hitch pin that easily slides through the fork pockets of the basket. This pin then sits behind the heel of the fork tines to keep the basket from sliding off.
Forklift baskets and telehandler platforms are slightly different. OSHA requires a forklift basket to be built with a tall back side of at least 6’. This back side should also have no openings greater than ½” so that fingers cannot slip through. The reasoning behind this difference is forklift man baskets are secured up against moving the moving parts of the forklift, making it dangerous if hands are outside of the basket. Telehandler baskets on the other hand are out away from any moving parts and are not required to have any enclosed sides, other than a top rail, mid rail, and toe plate.
In conclusion, it is important to choose a reliable provider of these platforms. Telehandler man baskets have many great uses, but unfortunately there are also many low quality options. To keep your crew safe, choose a company that builds your platform with care, made by certified welders. Lakeshore Industrial’s telehandler man baskets are built to last and will keep everyone safe and productive on the jobsite.
