What is a lift truck dumpster?
It is a hopper that is filled with debris, then locked to the prongs of a fork truck so that the operator can safely lift it from the ground and carry its contents to a dumpster. Forklift hoppers are made from heavy gauge steel and come in a variety of sizes. Some can carry up to 6,000 pounds of waste material at a time.
How does a lift truck dumpster operate?
The hopper is placed flat on the ground so that the forklift driver can insert the forks into the fork pockets. The hopper is secured, and then it is loaded with debris. The operator then raises the hopper above eye level in order to be able to see while driving it to the dumpster. A safety lock keeps it from dumping its contents while it travels over rough ground. Once it is in position over the dumpster, the operator can use either a rope release or lever release to dump the debris.
Where are lift truck dumpsters used?
They are used in many different industrial facilities. Warehouses use them to clean up their yards so that vehicles and pedestrians can maneuver more safely. Recycling centers use fork lift hoppers to transport aluminum cans, plastic bottles, glass, cardboard, and other materials to large trucks that transport them to recycling plants. Another place where you find these forklift attachments is a dockyard, where debris is separated and transported away from materials that are brought in on ships. Distribution centers, manufacturing plants, and refineries are other industries that use forklift dumpsters to haul waste materials to dumpsters. Perhaps the largest user group, however, is the construction industry. Constructions sites witness the accumulation of debris throughout the day. The most practical way to move this debris is with a forklift attachment that will elevate it above ground level and carry it out of the way of construction crews.
When is it economical to invest in a lift truck dumpster?
We would recommend you invest in at least one of these hoppers if you are transporting several loads of debris that weigh several hundred pounds or more. There are manual carts that can haul smaller loads and even simple tools like wheelbarrows that can haul off things like brick and scrap metal. However, heavy debris requires not only a mechanism for transport, but also a mechanism that can safely lift it high enough into the air to unload into the dumpster.
Materials that are commonly disposed of with fork truck hoppers include steel, wood scrap, used cement bags, concrete, rocks, and stumps.