Section 2: Operating Procedures
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•
When traveling on public roadways, travel in such a way
that faster moving vehicles may pass safely. Use accessory
lights, clean reflectors, and a slow moving vehicle sign that
is visible from the back to warn operators in other vehicles
of your presence. Always comply with all federal, state, and
Claw Grapple Operation
Picking-Up A Load
WARNING
!
To avoid serious injury or death:
•
Use a power machine of adequate size for the load being
carried. An undersized machine can roll over when raising
the loader arms due to high center of gravity.
•
Keep bystanders at a safe distance when entering and
picking up a load. Objects can shift or be thrown suddenly
as the attachment makes contact with load causing serious
•
Enter pick-up zone carefully making sure no object will
come through or pass the attachment into the operator’s
1.
Be sure to read and understand all safety alerts
under
2. Make sure load does not exceed rated lift capacity of
the tractor being used to lift the load.
3. Check for overhead obstructions.
4. Center grapple on material to be picked up.
5. Make a complete stop in front of material and position
grapple at the proper height to enter the pile.
6. Fully open grapple jaw and slowly drive into the pile.
Do not ram grapple into pile.
7.
Close grapple jaw to secure load.
8. Lift load a few inches and tilt it back slightly.
9. Make sure you have good control of the load. If load
is not secure, release and recapture load in a more
secure location.
10. Back load out of the pile slowly, making sure load
clears all other obstacles.
11. Not always will load be secured properly in the
grapple when pulled free from a pile. Before traveling
with a loose load, lower load to ground, release load,
and re-clamp load to make it more secure.
12. Position load at a safe, low traveling height before
transferring to unloading site.
IMPORTANT:
Do not ram attachment into a pile or
hook a chain to the attachment to secure a load.
Doing so can damage the attachment.
IMPORTANT:
Close upper jaw with care when lifting
fragile or hollow objects such as a crate. This will
help protect the object from being crushed.
Traveling With A Load
1.
Be sure to read and understand all safety alerts
under
2. Pedestrians always have the right-of-way.
3. Keep load tilted back slightly.
4. Travel with grapple and load as low as possible to the
ground.
5. Continually scan all sides for pedestrians, other
traffic, and obstacles.
6. If load is large and blocks your view, travel in reverse.
7.
Always drive at a safe speed and slow down when
going around corners. Avoid sudden braking.
8. Leave enough clearance when turning so that the
grapple and load does not contact obstacles such as
vehicles, buildings, trees, or fences.
9. When traveling over a ramp or incline, keep load on
the “uphill” side of tractor.
10. When possible, travel straight up and down grades,
ramps, and inclines. Avoid making turns on grades,
ramps, and inclines.
11. Raise or lower load only when stopped, never while
traveling.
12. Slow down when traveling over rough or hilly terrain.
13. Do not transport loads on public roadways.
14. Transport on public roadways without a load and
transport in such a way that faster moving vehicles
may pass you safely.
15. Plan your route to avoid heavy traffic.
Releasing A Load
1.
Be sure to read and understand all safety alerts
under
2. Stop in front of desired location.
3. Slowly raise load to required height.
4. Move forward slowly checking to make sure grapple
and load clears all obstacles.
5. Stop forward movement when load is positioned over
its release location.
6. Releasing load requires a combination of tilting front
of grapple down, raising upper jaw, and raising
loader arms. The order in which the load is released
will vary depending on type of material being
released. The most important objective is to have the
load under control throughout the release.
7.
Once load has settled onto the pile, slowly back up
making sure grapple clears all objects and there are
not any pedestrians or other traffic behind or on
either side.
8. Leave enough clearance when turning and/or
lowering the grapple that it does not make contact
with obstacles such as buildings, trees, fences etc.
9. Lower grapple to transporting height (low to the
ground) before moving again.
