On many construction sites, a telehandler arrives with pallet forks and spends most of the hire moving bricks, timber or other palletised materials.
That is only one configuration.
Depending on the model, telehandler attachments can adapt the machine for loose materials, suspended loads and equipment placement. All Access Hire offers compatible options including pallet forks, material buckets, lifting jibs and hooks across its telehandler fleet.
The attachment should be selected around the task, load and required boom position rather than treated as an add-on after the machine has been booked.
Pallet forks: the standard material-handling setup
Pallet forks remain the most common telehandler configuration on construction sites.
They suit:
- Pallets of bricks or blocks
- Timber packs
- Bagged materials
- Roofing supplies
- General construction materials
- Loading and unloading deliveries
The telescopic boom allows the operator to place palletised loads higher or farther forward than a conventional forklift can reach.
For projects that only require this type of handling, standard forks may be all that is needed.
Other attachments become useful when the material or lifting method changes.
Buckets: move loose material instead of pallets
A bucket attachment changes the type of material the telehandler can handle.
All Access Hire identifies buckets as suitable for materials such as:
- Loose fill
- Sand
- Gravel
- Landscaping materials
This can be useful on construction, civil and landscaping projects where the machine already needs to move materials around the site but not everything arrives on a pallet.
A telehandler fitted with a compatible bucket can support bulk material movement without limiting the machine to fork-based loads.
For example, All Access Hire lists material buckets among the compatible attachments available with its 3.5T / 9.5m Telehandler.
Lifting jibs and hooks: handle suspended loads
A jib changes the telehandler from fork-based handling to a rated lifting point.
All Access Hire’s Telehandler JIB Boom provides a rated hook for lifting or shifting equipment.
This configuration can suit tasks where forks cannot properly support the load, including certain:
- Equipment lifts
- Suspended loads
- Construction components
- Installation tasks
- Loads requiring a rated lifting point
The advantage is not simply additional reach. The jib changes how the load is connected to the machine.
All Access Hire provides information on available jibs and other equipment through its Attachments range.
One telehandler can support different stages of a project
Attachment choice becomes particularly useful when the work changes during the hire period.
Consider a construction project where the telehandler initially unloads palletised materials.
With the appropriate compatible setup, the same telehandler model may later support:
Material delivery
Pallet forks move bricks, blocks, timber and packaged supplies.
Site preparation or landscaping
A bucket handles loose fill, sand or gravel.
Installation work
A lifting jib or hook provides a rated lifting point for suitable suspended loads.
This versatility can reduce the need to select equipment around only one repetitive task, provided each attachment is compatible with the telehandler and suitable for the load.
Attachment choice changes the load calculation
Changing the attachment also changes how the telehandler must be assessed.
A machine’s headline maximum capacity does not apply at every boom position or with every attachment.
Available capacity can vary with:
- Boom extension
- Boom angle
- Lift height
- Forward reach
- Attachment type
- Load position
For that reason, a telehandler should not be booked as simply a “3.5 tonne” or “4 tonne” machine if the load needs to be suspended or placed at extended reach.
The operator must use the load chart applicable to the machine and attachment.
All Access Hire can recommend compatible equipment when the required load weight, lift height, forward reach and attachment are provided before hire.
Which telehandler suits attachment-based work?
The required task should determine both the machine and attachment.
A mid-size model such as the 3.5T / 9.5m Telehandler can be configured with pallet forks, buckets or lifting jibs and suits construction sites where material placement, rough terrain and restricted access need to be balanced.
Larger projects requiring substantially more reach can use models such as the 4T / 17m Telehandler, which All Access Hire also lists as compatible with pallet forks, buckets, lifting jibs and specialist attachments.
Selecting the largest machine is not the objective. The telehandler needs sufficient capacity at the actual height and forward reach required for the task.
What to tell All Access Hire before choosing an attachment
A short task description is more useful than requesting an attachment by name.
Provide:
- What needs to be moved
- Load weight
- Load dimensions
- Required lift height
- Required forward reach
- Ground conditions
- How the load needs to be connected or supported
For example, “move a 1,200 kg item to a position 6 m high and 3 m forward” gives the hire team more useful information than simply requesting a lifting jib.
All Access Hire can then check the machine, attachment and working envelope together.
Get more from the telehandler already required on site
A telehandler does not have to spend an entire hire period moving pallets.
With the correct compatible attachment, it can support different material-handling tasks as the project progresses, from palletised supplies to loose material and suitable suspended loads.
All Access Hire has completed 50,000+ hires and supplies telehandlers and attachments across Brisbane, Gold Coast and Ipswich.
Explore the full telehandler hire range and view available attachments, or contact All Access Hire with the load, height, reach and task requirements for your project.
Frequently asked questions about telehandler attachments
What attachments can be used on a telehandler?
All Access Hire offers telehandler options including pallet forks, material buckets, lifting jibs and hooks. Compatibility depends on the specific telehandler model and task, so the required attachment should be confirmed before hire.
What is a telehandler bucket used for?
Buckets extend the telehandler beyond pallet handling and can be used for suitable loose materials such as sand, gravel and fill. The bucket must be compatible with the selected machine and operated within its rated limits.
What does a telehandler jib do?
A telehandler jib provides a rated lifting point or hook for suitable loads that need to be suspended rather than supported on pallet forks. All Access Hire offers a Telehandler JIB Boom for lifting or shifting equipment.
Does an attachment change telehandler lifting capacity?
It can. Available capacity depends on the machine, attachment, boom position and load. Operators must refer to the applicable load chart rather than assuming the telehandler’s maximum rated capacity is available throughout its full reach.