Crane lifting attachments are found in every industry that uses cranes. Because cranes rely on a few basic principles, workers can use lifting attachments to achieve almost anything.

While there are thousands of types of crane lifting equipment, some of the most common attachments include:

• Hooks – Standard crane hooks are the most basic lifting attachments. They are used for lifting loads directly, and their capacity varies based on their design and size.
• Slings – Slings are flexible straps or ropes used to secure and lift loads. They come in various materials, such as wire rope, chain, or synthetic materials, and are suitable for lifting a wide range of loads.
• Magnets – Magnetic lifting attachments are used for handling ferrous materials, such as steel plates, sheets, and beams. These attachments use powerful magnets to securely lift and transport metal objects.
• Grabs and clamps – These attachments are designed to grasp and lift specific types of materials, such as pipes, concrete blocks, or containers. They come in various configurations, including hydraulic or mechanical options.
• Lifting booms – Some cranes have specialised booms or arms designed for specific tasks, such as telescopic booms for reaching greater heights, or jib arms for reaching over obstacles.
• Spreader bars – Spreader bars are used to distribute the load weight and provide stability when lifting large or unusual objects. They’re made up of a horizontal spreader bar that’s fitted with attachment points along its length for chains and slings.
• Lifting beams – Lifting beams are similar to spreader bars but are specifically designed to support loads with multiple lifting points. They are commonly used for lifting long or flexible loads.
• Vacuum lifters – These attachments use vacuum suction cups to lift and transport non-porous materials, such as glass, metal sheets, or plastic panels.
• Pallet lifter – Pallet lifters are designed to lift and move palletized loads. They often have fork-like attachments to slide under pallets and secure them for lifting
• Personnel baskets – Used for lifting personnel to elevated work areas, personnel baskets provide a safe and stable platform for workers during tasks such as maintenance or construction.
• Materials baskets – Materials baskets are metal cages with lifting points distributed evenly across the lifting device. They’re used to transport loose objects, like gravel, dirt, rubbish and manufacturing parts. Materials baskets allow cranes to fulfil a role that has typically been held by forklifts, making onsite cranes even more useful.
• Drum handling – Many of the world’s materials are transported in standardised drums. These drums weigh hundreds of kilograms and are a danger to move by hand. With drum handling attachments, cranes can be used to lift, transport and move one or more drums at a time.