Ayoub, Bader, Greeley 1

Telescopic Handlers
Report by: Matt Ayoub, Alyssa Bader, Matt Greeley

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to outline the uses of telescopic handlers in construction. It will
cover how to size and pick the right telescopic handler for a job site. Telescopic handlers have become
very popular in the construction industry with multiple companies producing them to fit any scenario on a
job site. Telescopic handlers are great for moving materials to high places like roofs and that make
transporting materials safer and more convenient for a crew. There is also a lot of versatility that comes
with a telescopic handler because of the many attachments that will help it complete a wide variety of
tasks. Some of these attachments are the bucket, pallet forks, winch, muck grabs, and platforms. There are
also many different configurations and sizes to make sure that the telescopic handler can handle whatever
task it has to complete. The most important factors to consider when choosing a telescopic handler are the
weight of materials, the height, and the distance from the cabin that the materials need to be transported.
They are not short of technology either there have been many advancements made in ease of use,
environmental safety, worker safety, and even automation. Telescopic handlers are a great addition to
any job site where material needs to be transported to high places and when there are tight spaces that
other machines cannot fit.

Background and General Information

A telescopic handler, also known as a telehandler, teleporter, reach forklift, zoom boom is a
machine widely used in agriculture and construction. The telescopic handler was originally created by the
Matbro company in Horley, UK. Since its creation, it has been developed and manufactured by many
other construction machine companies such as JCB, Manitou, Bobcat, CAT, and Merlo who have
developed telehandlers for a wide variety of applications, not just agriculture and construction, however,
those are the industries that use them the most. The most iconic and popular telehandler is produced by
JCB which made their first telehandler debut in 1977 with the JCB 520 telehandler that took the industry
by storm. It has gone to produce over 200,000 units in the UK alone which is a huge milestone. The first
520 or “Loadall” was a two-wheel-drive machine and it enabled contractors to have massively increased
versatility who had to make use of cranes, rough terrain forklifts, and backhoe loaders. The telehandler
combines many of these pieces of equipment into one. This allowed contractors to not only save time but
also money both of which are very important to save on in construction. Since the early days of the 520
Loadall, telescopic handlers have increased their capacities immensely, some boasting heights of
sixty-five feet and load capacities over 6.5 tons. Many features have been improved on like the fork
carriages which allow for rapid pick-up and detaching of attachments like forks, buckets, sweepers, and
jibs just to name a few. Many now also feature 4-way steering, 2-way steering, and a crab-steering
pattern. Many construction sites have also started fitting these telehandlers with buckets to help with
shifting aggregates and soil.
(​https://www.southernplantspares.com/blogs/news/telehandler-the-brief-history​)
 Ayoub, Bader, Greeley 2

The telescopic handler is a crane-forklift hybrid combining the best of both worlds. Unlike a
crane or forklift, the fact that it has attachments such as a bucket, muck grab, winch, forks, sweepers,
jibs, and even a platform attachment which can act as a boom lift. All this means there is a wider scope of
use for contracts depending on the work needed to be done. The extendable boom on a telehandler can
usually extend 30 feet at 70 degrees and can continue to extend further than that as required by the
contractor. This length factor also limits the weight capacity of a lift. Weight is also affected by the angle,
type of attachment, wind speed, and size of the equipment. This weight limit will usually range from
4,400 to 12,000 lbs and can even exceed this range. While these telehandlers can reach high maximum
loads capabilities they cannot be loaded to full capacity and full reach. In order to find out how to safely
size what telehandler is right for the job a sizing chart from the desired manufacturer among other factors
should be considered.(​https://dozr.com/blog/telehandler/​)

There are five major components that dictate the function of a telescopic handler. The first is the
vertical boom which can lift and extend to reach distant heights. This would be used for bringing
materials up to a specific story or even the roof of the structure. Next is the horizontal boom extension,
just as the boom extends for height, it also extends to reach farther distances without moving the
equipment. This is used when there may be materials set up in front of the telehandler and the handler
cannot maneuver around the stack of material. It is still able to deliver the material to the designated
location without having to move other materials or debris out of the way. The third is the forklift tilt up
and down, the fork attachment on the end of the boom tilts to angle the prongs up or down. This helps
with maneuvering objects more accurately. The fourth is stabilizers up and down, there are two stabilizers
on the front and end of the body that help it maintain balance while lifting to help avoid the machine from
tipping over from overloading. Finally, the last component is frame leveling. This is used on tough terrain
where the axles tilt appropriately to keep the equipment horizontally level. This helps with making sure
the material being transported stays level and does not fall off the lift.
(​https://www.macallisterrentals.com/telehandler-rental-guide/​)

When sizing a telescopic handler the total load capacity must be considered as well as the desired
function of the handler. There are two main types of handlers; fixed and rotating. Fixed telehandlers have
a lower range of motion but are better suited for heavy loads. The cab is locked or fixed in one place,
unable to rotate. It also has many subcategories by weight and reach distances. From smallest to largest
capacity these subcategories are super-compact, compact, standard lift, high lift, and high load. A rotating
telehandler has more range of motion, meaning the cab and boom can rotate 360 degrees while the body
remains stationary. Not only is it easier to maneuver, but it is also perfect for positioning materials in
areas that are challenging to reach. There are even some special categories to consider whether the
telehandler is needed on rough terrain. Stabilization models have added stabilization to handle rough and
uneven terrain. (​https://www.macallisterrentals.com/telehandler-rental-guide/​)

For an explanation of how to size a telescopic handler refer to the sizing chart below (Figure 1).
In this report, we will be sizing a JLG 742 which is a fixed, compact, rough terrain model telehandler. At
the top right, the model number is listed, in this case, 742. It is important to keep this number in mind
because this capacity chart can only be used for 742 and no other telehandler. At the top left will be the
product numbers of all of the supplied attachments from the manufacturer. Along the x-axis is how far the
boom arm will be extended. The y-axis is how high up the boom arm will go. The numbers along the
 Ayoub, Bader, Greeley 3

curve are the angle of the boom in degrees corresponding to how far and how high the boom is extended
and lifted. The orange and white zones indicate the maximum load capacity that can be safely lifted, once
again, depending on how far the boom is extended and lifted. In our case, we have a minimum capacity of
1,000 pounds and a maximum of 7,000 pounds. The letters on the top of the curve show the boom
extension indicator (arc) that will be needed for the specific lift. The last thing to consider would be the
number next to the image of the telehandler, in this case, 24 and this number indicates that the load center
must be equal to or less than 24 inches from the front of the boom.
(​https://www.jlg.com/en/direct-access/2019/01/08/understanding%20a%20telehandler%20load%20capaci
ty%20chart​)

Figure 1 - Loading Capacity Chart (JLG)

Since telehandlers are so versatile they have many uses in the construction industry. These uses
are dictated by the attachments that are chosen to be placed on the boom. The telehandler is primarily
used as a lift and place tool. It is seen as a much more advanced version of a forklift since it has greater
extension capabilities than a traditional forklift. With these attachments, however, hooks can be attached
 Ayoub, Bader, Greeley 4

to be used as a mini crane, pallet forks can be used for lifting heavy or awkward items, buckets can be
attached to help move soft material like soil, snow plows can be used to aid in snow removal, sweeper
collectors can be used to help clean debris from the job site, an earth drill can even be attached to dig into
the ground, breakers can also be used to compact items down for disposal or recycling, and workers can
be lifted to do aerial work. This allows a telehandler to be an almost “one machine fits all” type of
equipment. With all these different uses owners can save a lot of time and money and they do not have to
worry about the logistics of having a dozen different pieces of equipment on a job site at the same time
when the job site is compact and open space is scarce. (​https://dozr.com/blog/telehandler/​)

Telehandlers are on the cheaper side when it comes to buying construction equipment. They can
range from $120,000 to $135,000 new depending on the weight capacity desired. They get much cheaper
once they are bought used. The price of a used telehandler can range anywhere from $15,000 to $60,000
which is about 12.5% cheaper than a new telehandler. The running hours play a big factor in pricing but
above all else, the general condition plays the largest role in determining the price of a telehandler.
However, no matter how you look at it for the price point the telehandler is almost essential to have on a
job site just for the versatility alone.
(​https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/telescopic-handlers-market-100995​)

In the telehandler certification, various topics will be covered that will ensure how to properly
operate a telehandler. The first step is knowing how to correctly and thoroughly conduct a site inspection.
A telehandler has many different parts as well as different attachments so this training will also go over
all of these. How to manage the center of gravity while handling a load, how to safely operate a
telehandler around power lines, and managing machine stability are all aspects that will be gone over
comprehensively. Experienced instructors will also demonstrate and guide how to complete a
walk-around inspection and function test. Several other bases that will be touched throughout this training
include the legal requirements for a safe operation, refueling the telehandler properly, start-up and shut
down procedures, and how to analyze and understand operator manuals and load charts.​The online aspect
of the telehandler certification course covers all theoretical information about operating a telehandler.
This aspect of the course comes in both English and Spanish and takes about 45 minutes. The access is
simple, as it can be completed on any computer and many mobile devices. Only once the online portion is
completed may the practical assessment be started. The practical assessment must be complete in order to
receive a certificate of completion for the telehandler certification. This legal requirement does meet all
OSHA and ANSI standards of training. Under the supervision and guidance of an instructor, individuals
will have the opportunity to operate a telehandler. Depending on the size of the class, this portion can take
45 minutes to 4 hours to complete.
(​https://hardhattraining.com/shopping-cart/online/online-osha/telehandler-online-training/​)

Due to increasingly stringent environmental policies upgrades to the electric engines in telescopic
handlers are increasing. Electrics engines that are in the telescopic handlers decrease the amount of CO2
emissions on constructions which results in a more green working environment. Environmentally
concerned consumers are increasing the demand for green products as they are predicted to help the
market for telescopic handlers. Some more advancements have been made to ease the operation of the
telehandler. Now, most of the operations of a telehandler can be controlled with just a single joystick.
This makes controlling the telehandler a lot convenient for the operator. Not only does this ease operation
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but it makes using a telehandler safer since there are a lot fewer buttons and levers that the operator has
to worry about if something goes wrong. Some automation has even been introduced to some models.
JLG’s line of high-capacity telehandlers has “SmartLoad Technology”. This system combines attachment
recognition with real-time load data to give the operators more confidence in a lift. It displays a real-time
load chart compliance and it actually prevents them from violating the boundaries of the load chart
depending on the length and height of the boom, and the load and attachment collected by the system.
This is not only a great step for automating telehandlers but this is once again great for safety. Now
operators do not have to worry about lifting something too heavy and putting not only themselves at risk
but the workers around them. Now, they can have the confidence that when they lift the chances of
someone getting hurt is greatly reduced. A great advantage to having telescopic handlers is the reduced
labor costs and operational costs. Additionally, as projects are emerging in developing countries,
telescopic handlers are becoming more and more demanded.
(​https://www.forconstructionpros.com/rental/lifting-equipment/telescopic-handler/article/20973120/teleha
ndler-operator-cabs-are-an-evolving-work-environment​)

Summary and Conclusion

Overall, the telehandler is a very versatile machine that can be used for almost any scenario.
Whether it is lifting material to high elevations or getting to places where a crane or forklift cannot, there
is an attachment or setup that can fit most needs on a job site. Also, the fact that it is also on the cheaper
side of construction equipment makes this machine great for almost any job. It is not short on technology
either, as time has gone on so have the advancements of these powerful machines. With improvements to
environmental safety, ease of use, worker safety, and even automation the telehandler has not stopped
improving and it does not seem like it will stop anytime soon. Something that will be really interesting to
see being developed further in the automation aspect. The fact that the machine knows where on the
loading chart the current setup shows a great feat of intelligence and it will be exciting to see how the
automation further develops in the future.
 Ayoub, Bader, Greeley 6

Works Cited

“Choosing a Telehandler.” ​MacAllister Rentals​,

www.macallisterrentals.com/telehandler-rental-guide/.

Dickens, Rod. “Telehandler Operator Cabs Are an Evolving Work Environment.” ​For

Construction Pros,​ 27 Sept. 2017,

www.forconstructionpros.com/rental/lifting-equipment/telescopic-handler/article/209731

20/telehandler-operator-cabs-are-an-evolving-work-environment.

Forestell, Kevin, and Tim Forestell. “The Telehandler: Everything You Need To Know.” ​DOZR

Blog,​ 10 June 2020, dozr.com/blog/telehandler/.

Record, Dale. “Telehandler - The Brief History.” ​SPS - Southern Plant Spares,​ SPS - Southern

Plant Spares, 6 Mar. 2017,

www.southernplantspares.com/blogs/news/telehandler-the-brief-history.

“Telehandler Training Online: Class VII: OSHA COMPLIANT.” ​Hard Hat Training​, 25 Sept.

2020, hardhattraining.com/shopping-cart/online/online-osha/telehandler-online-training/.

“Telescopic Handlers Market Size, Growth Rate 2026: Industry Dynamics.” ​Telescopic Handlers

Market Size, Growth Rate 2026 | Industry Dynamics,​

www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/telescopic-handlers-market-100995.

“Understanding a Telehandler Load Capacity Chart.” ​JLG​, 2020,

www.jlg.com/en/direct-access/2019/01/08/understanding%20a%20telehandler%20load%

20capacity%20chart.