Magic Glasses: Not All Telehandlers Are the Same
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
At first glance, one telehandler can look much like another. Same basic shape, same boom, same operator controls. When you put on the Magic Glasses, you start to see that the real question is not just what the machine looks like - it is what that machine is actually designed, charted, and approved to do.
Quick Scene-Setter
A telehandler is on site to move materials.
Later in the day, someone suggests using it to lift a suspended load with a hook attachment.
The thinking sounds simple enough. It is a telehandler, it has reach, and it can lift.
From a distance, that can seem reasonable.
What Most People See
Most people see one machine type.
They see a telehandler as a telehandler.
If one machine can place palletised loads, carry materials, and work with a few different attachments, it is easy to assume another telehandler can do much the same. If the machine has a warning system in the cab, many people also assume the machine is effectively “looking after” the lift.
That is where people can get caught.
What the Magic Glasses Show You
Not all telehandlers are the same.
Some telehandlers are mainly set up as material handlers. Their load monitoring is based on longitudinal stability. In plain terms, the machine is monitoring the tendency to tip forward.
That matters, but it does not mean the machine is acting like a crane.
The key distinction is this:
A telehandler may have an LLMI - Longitudinal Load Moment Indicator
It may also have an LLMC - Longitudinal Load Moment Control
Those systems are tied to forward stability
They are not the same thing as a Safe Load Indicator
That means the machine may be warning the operator about rear axle unload and forward tip risk, but it is not automatically telling you that every lifting situation is safe.
Then there is the second layer.
Some telehandlers are approved for suspended-load lifting in certain configurations. Some are not. Some can do it only with a specific hook or jib. Some require stabilisers deployed. Some have different charts depending on attachment and duty. Some should not be used for that job at all.
So the trained view is not just:
“Is there a telehandler here?”
It is:
What exact machine is this?
What attachment is fitted?
What duty is this machine approved for?
Is there a load chart for this exact configuration?
Are we lifting unit loads on forks, or are we lifting a suspended load?
Are stabilisers required for this duty?
Is the machine being used within the manufacturer’s limits?
That is the difference between seeing a machine and understanding a machine.
The Controls That Matter
Identify the exact make and model of the telehandler before planning the lift.
Confirm whether the machine is being used for forklift work or suspended-load lifting.
Check whether the fitted attachment is compatible and approved for that machine.
Read the correct load chart for that exact machine-and-attachment combination.
Do not rely on the standard fork chart if the machine is lifting a suspended load.
Confirm whether the machine must be on stabilisers, free on wheels, or must not be used in that configuration at all.
Check the machine’s monitoring system, but do not treat LLMI/LLMC as proof that the lift is safe.
Include the attachment weight, hook weight, slings, and shackles in the total lifted weight.
Plan the lift if the telehandler is handling a suspended load. Do not treat it as a casual variation of normal fork work.
Reassess the machine selection if the job needs precise placement, tight clearances, or crane-like control.
Magic Glasses Checklist - Not All Telehandlers Are the Same
Do I know the exact telehandler model?
Do I know what the machine is approved to do?
Am I using forks, a hook, or a jib?
Do I have the right load chart for this setup?
Is this chart for this exact attachment and duty?
Does this machine need stabilisers for the lift?
Am I mistaking an LLMI or LLMC for a full lifting control system?
Have I included all lifting gear in the total load?
Has the suspended-load lift been planned?
Would another lifting machine be a better choice?
The hazard is not just the misuse of the machine. The hazard is assuming all telehandlers are broadly the same when they are not. Once you learn to check the machine, the attachment, the chart, and the approved duty, you start to see the difference quickly.
That is how the Magic Glasses work. Do not stop at the word telehandler. Check what that telehandler is actually set up to do.
Magic Glasses: The magic glasses come from the reality of - when I look at my books, I don't see a problem. But when my accountant looks at the books, it's a whole different story. He must have a special set of glasses.
As PCBU's, Officers and Workers, we have an obligation to learn what we are up to and the risks. Our actions and the standards we accept also affect those around us. This magic glasses post is made to help others see what we see.
Comments