A scissor grab lets a crane or forklift lift bricks, blocks, kerbs and slabs straight from the pack, without pallets or slings. Picking the right one comes down to what you lift, how it's packed and what you'll hang it from. This guide walks through each check, and you can compare every model in our scissor grabs range as you go.
How Does a Scissor Grab Work?
A scissor grab has two arms joined at a pivot, like a pair of scissors. When the crane lifts, the lifting point pulls the arms together and the jaws squeeze the load from both sides. The heavier the load, the harder the grip, so there are no hydraulics, hoses or batteries involved. Most grabs have an automatic lock that holds the jaws open between lifts, so you can lower the grab over the next pack without holding it open.
1. Start With What You Lift
Each grab is built around a type of load:
- Packs of bricks, blocks and pavers up to five layers: the brick pack scissor grab (Type 1311), rated up to 2000kg.
- One or two layers of blocks, slabs or kerbs: the block and slab scissor grab (Type 889), or the double layer kerb grab (Type 610A) if you want two height settings.
- Single kerbs and slabs: the single kerb grab (Type 2474), or the HB kerb lifter (Type 2469) for one standard HB kerb at a time.
- Solid concrete lego blocks: the concrete lego block lifter (Type 608), rated at 2500kg.
2. Check the Span and Free Height
The span is the range the jaws open and close across, and the free height is the tallest load that fits under the frame. Measure the width and height of your largest pack and make sure both fall inside the grab's range, with a little room to spare. As a guide, the brick pack grab spans 600 to 1080mm with up to 810mm of free height (1020mm on the taller 1311-60), while the HB kerb lifter opens from just 125 to 150mm.
3. Add the Grab to the Load
Your crane or forklift lifts the grab as well as the pack. The larger grabs weigh 200kg to 320kg, so a 2000kg pack on the Type 1311 means lifting 2275kg in total. Check that figure against your machine's rated capacity at the radius or load centre you'll be working at, not just its headline capacity.
4. Crane or Forklift?
Every grab hangs from a crane hook, which suits lorry loader cranes and overhead cranes. To use a grab on a forklift, fit the forklift scissor grab yoke. It slides onto forks up to 165mm wide, is rated at 2500kg including the grab, and one person can pick it up without help.
Using a Scissor Grab Safely
- Have the lift planned by a competent person, as LOLER requires for every lifting operation
- Lower the grab square over the pack and check the jaws sit evenly before you lift
- Use a safety net on packs that could shed, and keep everyone out of the area under the load
- Keep hands clear of the jaws while they close
- Check the grab before each use for worn pads, damaged jaws and loose pins
Scissor grabs are lifting accessories, so under LOLER they need a thorough examination by a competent person at least every six months, unless an examination scheme sets a different interval. Keep the examination reports alongside the grab's Certificate of Conformity.
Scissor Grab or Crane Forks?
If your materials arrive on pallets and you want to keep them that way, pallet crane forks lift the whole pallet instead. Scissor grabs earn their keep when you want to lift packs without pallets, split loads, or place kerbs and blocks exactly where they're needed. Our guide to lifting pallets with a crane covers crane forks in more detail.
Get the Right Grab First Time
Tell us what you lift, your pack sizes and whether you'll use a crane or a forklift, and we'll recommend the right grab and send a price. Request a quote, or browse our full scissor grabs range and the rest of our forklift attachments.
