Telehandler Suspended Loads Training

Why suspended loads need their own training

A telehandler on forks has a load held rigidly in front of it. Once the forks come off and a jib or hook goes on, the machine is effectively working as a crane. The load can swing as the boom moves or the machine travels, wind catches long or flat loads, and a swinging load shifts the centre of gravity in a way the operator cannot always see from the cab.

That is why the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) apply in full: each lift must be properly planned by a competent person, supervised appropriately and carried out safely. An operator trained only on forks has not been shown how to read an attachment's load chart, how to work with a slinger or signaller, or how to control a load that is moving.

What the course covers

The course builds on the operator's existing telehandler skills and concentrates on what changes when the load hangs from a hook. Theory and practical work are carried out on the operator's own machine and attachment wherever possible.

• Fitting, locking and checking a jib, hook or lifting attachment
• Reading load charts for the attachment, boom length and angle
• Why rated capacity falls as the boom extends and the load moves away
• Controlling swing, travelling with a suspended load and using tag lines
• Working with a slinger/signaller and agreed hand signals
• Lift plans, exclusion zones and stopping a lift when conditions change
• Ground conditions, stabilisers and wind

How it differs from standard telehandler training

Standard telehandler training teaches the operator to drive, place and stack loads on forks safely. Suspended loads training assumes those skills are already in place and adds the lifting side of the job. It is not a replacement for a telehandler course, and an operator new to telehandlers would normally complete that first.

It also sits alongside, rather than replaces, crane-related roles. On many sites the lift still needs an appointed person to plan it and a slinger/signaller to attach and guide the load. If your team needs those roles covered too, we can plan the training together.

Choosing the right course for your team

Start with the work. Which telehandler and attachment will be used, what kind of loads are lifted, and how often? An operator who occasionally lifts a bundle of pipes needs the same core skills as one doing regular hook work, but the practical part should reflect the real loads and site conditions.

It also helps to check what your principal contractor or client asks for at induction, so the training and paperwork match their requirements. Tell us which card or scheme your site asks for and we will confirm the right route.