Glossary term
What is Outriggers?
Short answer
Outriggers are extendable legs on a crane or bucket truck that spread the weight and keep the machine level and steady.
Outriggers, explained for tree service owners
Outriggers are legs that extend from the sides of a crane, bucket truck or other tall machine. They are set down on solid ground, often on pads, to widen the base and keep the machine from tipping when it lifts or reaches. A truck without its outriggers fully set should not work at height. On soft yards, wet ground or driveways, crews place mats under the pads so the weight does not sink or crack the pavement. For a tree service owner, set-up time for outriggers is part of the job time, and getting it right is a big part of safe aerial work. It also protects the customer's lawn and driveway.
Related terms
- Bucket truck
A bucket truck is a truck with a hydraulic boom and a platform that lifts a worker up to the tree, so no climbing is needed.
- Aerial lift
An aerial lift is any machine that raises a worker on a platform, such as a bucket truck or a lift mounted on tracks.
- Friction device
A friction device is a tool, often a post or wrap fixed near the base of a tree, that lets a worker control a rope while lowering heavy…
- Pole saw
A pole saw is a saw on a long pole that cuts high limbs from the ground, so the worker does not need to climb.
- Rigging block
A rigging block is a pulley used in a tree to change the direction of a rope and reduce strain while lowering cut pieces.
- Throw line
A throw line is a light cord with a small weight, thrown over a high branch to pull a climbing rope into the tree.
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