Many companies haul bulky material and can spend a great deal of money on workers’ compensation claims, primarily related to lifting injuries. Such injuries affect a company’s cash flow as well as its overall efficiency. So it is a wise choice to invest in a machine to address this particular problem.
Specialized equipment has been designed to lift heavy material and move it safely; These machines are called forklifts. Learning about this versatile vehicle would go a long way in increasing overall efficiency and helping to avoid costly medical treatment for injuries sustained.
Overview
Grapple trucks consist of a grapple loader mounted on the frame of a truck. This hydro-mechanical device is used to load and transport large and heavy material. It is generally used by waste collection companies, public service departments, municipal sanitation and construction companies.
Heavy equipment used for waste collection comes in several different types: transfer systems; rear-mounted loader and trailer; rear loader and haul truck; rear steer box and charger; and roll-off systems. All of these can be operated by a single worker, which is a huge savings compared to hiring three or four workers to manually load heavy material onto a vehicle.
design differences
As with any other equipment purchase, it is imperative to thoroughly research these vehicles to find the one that best suits a company’s needs. The following are some designs to consider:
- tipper and loader – How the box and charger should be configured should be determined based on the work that is typically performed. For example, if the scope of a project involves occasional hauling of bulky material, then a vehicle with removable parts is a smart move. With such a feature, the removable loader or dump body can be conveniently disassembled and stored when not in use, which will require fewer workers and allow for other uses of the truck.
- Two cabs with rear steering – For high volume pickups, this feature allows an operator to drive the grapple truck to the job site using the chassis cab and then transfer to the overhead cab to operate the loading apparatus. The rear-facing upper cab usually has control mechanisms for throttle, steering, and air conditioning, as well as dual levers for grapple operation.
There is a wide variety of different options and specifications to choose from to find the best grapple trucks to suit your business needs. From the chassis to the lighting requirements, all of these things should be reviewed before making a purchase decision. Other things to consider include some non-tangible factors, such as the maintainability, functionality, and safety of the equipment.
Safety
When purchasing, make sure training manuals and videos from the manufacturer are also included. It’s also important to thoroughly inspect the vehicle, especially some of its more sensitive parts like hoses, cylinders, and block valves. Another safety feature that should be inspected is the “rise alarm”. This device alerts the operator when a boom has not been lowered properly and is above safe driving height. When you are not familiar with the security features mentioned above, please bring an experienced technician in this field to assist you in making such a purchase.
Grapple trucks can help any business lift and load heavy material. So acquiring this type of heavy duty vehicle is sure to elevate a business to the top of its industry as well!