A forklift concrete skip carries concrete or mortar from the mixer to the pour, so nobody has to barrow it across site. Our side discharge concrete skip, also called a concrete hopper, sits on your forks or hangs from a crane and pours through a large side gate. Here's how to choose the size, fit and fill it, carry it and pour safely, then wash it out.
How Much Does a Full Concrete Skip Weigh?
Wet concrete weighs about 2.4 tonnes per cubic metre, which is 2.4kg per litre. Each of our skips is rated for exactly that, so a full skip is at its safe working load before you count the skip itself.
| Model | Capacity | Full of wet concrete | Gate |
|---|---|---|---|
| FCH-11033 | 300 litres | About 720kg | Lever, hand wheel or hydraulic |
| FCH-11053 | 500 litres | About 1200kg | Lever, hand wheel or hydraulic |
| FCH-11083 | 800 litres | About 1920kg | Lever, hand wheel or hydraulic |
| FCH-11103 | 1000 litres | About 2400kg | Lever, hand wheel or hydraulic |
| FCH-11123 | 1200 litres | About 2880kg | Hand wheel or hydraulic |
Never fill a skip above its rated capacity. For mortar or other materials, check the weight per cubic metre with your supplier and keep within the safe working load. If you'd like the hydraulic gate, tell us your machine when you ask for a quote and we'll confirm how it connects.
Check Your Forklift Can Lift It
Your forklift's rated capacity applies at the load centre on its data plate, often 500mm from the front face of the forks. A skip's centre of gravity can sit further out than that, and the skip adds weight of its own, so the truck can lift less with it fitted, and less again at height. Check the capacity with the skip fitted at the height you'll pour from, and ask your forklift dealer for a revised capacity plate if you need one. If a full skip is too much for your truck, choose a smaller skip rather than relying on drivers to part-fill a bigger one.
Before You Start
- Check the skip. Look for cracked welds, damaged fork entries and a bent gate, and make sure the gate opens and closes fully.
- Fit it properly. Drive the forks fully into the base and engage the fork locking system, so the skip can't slide off when you brake.
- Plan the route. Pick firm, level ground from the mixer to the pour, and keep the truck well back from the edges of trenches and excavations, where the ground can give way.
- Protect your skin. Wet concrete is highly alkaline and can cause serious burns and dermatitis. HSE advises waterproof gloves suitable for alkaline substances, long or tight at the wrist, and wellington boots for large pours, with trousers worn over the boots. Wash any concrete off your skin straight away.
Filling the Skip
- Set the skip down on firm, level ground beside the mixer, or where the ready-mix chute can reach it.
- Check the gate is fully closed before any concrete goes in.
- Fill it no higher than its rated capacity. A heaped skip spills along your route and takes the weight past what you planned for.
- Clear any spills from the fork entries and around the gate before you lift.
Carrying a Full Skip
- Lift it just clear of the ground and tilt the mast back slightly before you move off.
- Travel slowly, and brake and turn gently. A full skip is a heavy, concentrated load.
- Keep people clear of your route, especially near the pour, where the team's attention is on the concrete.
- Only raise the skip to pouring height once you're at the pour and the truck has stopped.
Pouring
- Stop with the gate over the formwork, trench or barrow you're filling, and apply the parking brake.
- Raise the skip only as high as you need for the concrete to clear the formwork.
- Open the gate gradually, so the concrete comes out at a rate the team placing it can keep up with. The large side gate lets you control the flow.
- Nobody should stand under the raised skip. Anyone opening the gate or guiding the pour by hand works from the side, never underneath.
- Close the gate and lower the skip before you drive back to the mixer.
Lifting by Crane
The side discharge skip has lateral lifting points for crane use. Have it slung by a trained slinger, follow your lift plan and keep everyone out from under the suspended skip. A skip lifted by crane needs regular thorough examination under LOLER, so ask your examiner which interval applies.
Washing Out
Wash the skip and its gate out straight after the last pour, before the concrete starts to set. Concrete left to harden around the gate is hard to shift and can stop it closing fully.
Do it in a contained washout area away from drains and watercourses. Washout water is highly alkaline and pollutes water, so it must never go into a drain, surface water or a watercourse. Collect it in an impervious container, then treat and reuse it or send it to a licensed facility. Disposing of it on site needs authorisation from your environmental regulator.
Skip, Mortar Tray or Tub?
If the mix will be shovelled or trowelled out rather than poured, a steel mortar tray (360 to 1000 litres, forklift or crane) or a plastic mortar tub (250 or 330 litres) is simpler, and both stack when empty. On a telehandler, use our telehandler concrete skip, which pours through a hose, and read how to choose a telehandler skip.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much concrete does a forklift concrete skip hold?
Our side discharge skips hold 300, 500, 800, 1000 or 1200 litres, which is 0.3 to 1.2 cubic metres.
How heavy is a full concrete skip?
Allow about 2.4kg for every litre of wet concrete, plus the weight of the skip. A full 500 litre skip carries about 1200kg of concrete.
Can a concrete skip be lifted by crane?
Yes. The side discharge skip has lateral lifting points, and the steel mortar tray has four lifting eyes. Skips and trays used for crane lifts need regular thorough examination under LOLER.
Can I carry sand or gravel in it?
Yes. It's made for concrete, mortar, cement and granular materials, so keep the weight within the safe working load. If you're loading loose material from a heap, read how to use a forklift scoop.
Do operators need training?
Yes. PUWER requires adequate training for anyone using work equipment, attachments included. Show drivers how to fit, fill, carry and pour before they start.
Ready to order? Request a quote with the size and gate you want and your forklift make, model and fork sizes. See the full concrete skips and mortar tubs range, or browse all our forklift attachments.
