Forklift Access Platform - Buyers Guide

Why use a forklift work platform ?

There are several pieces of equipment on the market that will allow you to work at height, including tower scaffolding, staircases, platforms and portable ladders. Although primarily, forklift trucks are intended for lifting materials and not people, they can be used with forklift safety cages such as ours as a safe means of allowing people to work at height.

From an economical point of view, a one off purchase of a forklift safety cage can prove more cost effective than hire charges that can be applied to tower scaffolding etc.

What can a forklift work platform be used for ?

Our safety cages for forklifts are suitable for occasional use. Examples of occasional use are:

• Non-routine maintenance tasks for which it is impractical to hire purpose built equipment
• Replacement of light fittings in high rise warehouse if the task is not carried out as part of maintenance operations
• Tasks that would otherwise be carried out using less safe means of access such as ladders

What are the Health & Safety Requirements ?

All of our safety cage platforms for forklifts  comply fully with HSE Guidance Note PM28 [3^rd edition] – WORKING PLATFORMS (NON INTEGRATED) ON FORKLIFT TRUCKS.

By following this Guidance Note we are taking the correct measures to ensure all our forklift access platforms comply with the law. Health & Safety inspectors seek to ensure compliance with the law and may refer to this guidance as illustrating good practice.

All our forklift access platforms come supplied with Certificate of Conformity, full technical rating details, and set of operating instructions.

How can I check that my forklift truck is compatible?

All our standard forklift safety cages are designed for use with counterbalanced fork lift trucks.  Should your forklift truck be of the Pedestrian Stacker variety or a Reach Truck with straddle/stabiliser legs, then a more custom built forklift man riding platform would need to be offered (Please consult our sales office if this is the case)

The fork entry pockets on our forklift platforms are designed as standard to accept a maximum fork width of 150mm and a maximum fork thickness of 50mm. Please ensure the forklift forks on your forklift truck are no larger than 150mm x 50mm  (Please consult our sales office should the forks on your forklift truck be of a larger section size than stated)

The fork pocket spread (distance from the outside of the one pocket to the outside of the other) on our forklift platforms are set apart by 794mm. Please ensure the forklift forks on your forklift truck can be positioned apart at this distance (Please consult our sales office should the forks on your forklift truck not be able to be positioned at this distance apart)

The minimum forklift truck capacity that we require for use with our forklift cages is 1000kgs

Summary – Important checks

1. Ensure the forklift platform is manufactured to comply fully with HSE Guidance Note PM28 [3^rd edition]
2. Ensure the size of the forklift forks on the forklift is suitable for the fork entry pockets on the forklift man riding cage
3. Ensure the forklift forks on the forklift truck can be adjusted apart sufficiently to accommodate the spacing of the fork entry pockets on the forklift man riding cage
4. Ensure the forklift truck is of the counterbalanced variety (other styles of forklift trucks may require a more tailor made forklift man riding cage)
5. Ensure the forklift truck is a minimum of 1000kgs capacity

Why purchase our forklift safety platforms ?