2005Vehicles and Mounts forum
Using forklifts as camera platforms for dynamic high-altitude shots in film production
21 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
DisputedParticipants disagreed and reached no conclusion. Read the findings as positions, not as an answer.
What the thread found
- Forklifts present significant safety hazards when used to carry personnel, including hydraulic failures that can cause sudden drops, pinch points on the mast that can sever hands or arms, and instability when the load exceeds designed capacity.
- A safer alternative to forklifts for elevated camera work is a platform mounted on top of a dolly hydraulic arm or Chapman hybrid arm, which provides smooth motion, quiet operation, and greater safety than forklift platforms.
- If a forklift must be used for personnel, employ a safety basket secured to the carriage with guard rails, drop brakes or dual hydraulics to prevent uncontrolled descent, a harness clipped to the mast, padding or plywood on the mast to prevent limbs entering machinery, and a blocking system to prevent pallet movement.
- Electric or compressed gas powered forklifts should be used instead of diesel-powered units to avoid fumes, and operation requires adequate ceiling clearance and proper ventilation.
- Forklift operations for camera work require an experienced and trustworthy operator with established communication protocols between operator and camera operator.
Depends on
- Discussion reflects practices and regulations from early 2000s and may not reflect current safety standards.
- Some participants described using forklifts without the safety measures outlined, making the actual outcome of unsafe practices unclear.
- Different jurisdictions have conflicting regulations on whether elevated personnel work on forklifts is permitted at all.