ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses several types of lifting and loading equipment and learn how to use manufacturers’ literature to select the appropriate type for specific construction tasks. Lifting and loading equipment have been used on construction projects for centuries. The basic operational concept for lifting and loading is to lift a load vertically, move it horizontally to the desired location, and set it in the desired position. Manufacturers produce a variety of lifting and loading equipment designed for many different purposes. The safe loading capacity of the machine in a given situation is a function of both the vertical and horizontal reach. While the scissor lift only moves workers in a vertical direction, the telescopic boom can move workers vertically and horizontally. The primary identifying feature of a forklift is the twin horizontal arms that support the load and raise or lower it along a vertical mast.
