When Might You Need to Hire Powered Access Equipment?
Due to its specialist nature, most companies will never have any need for powered access and if they do, it will only be for the briefest period. Scissor lifts, cherry pickers and boom lifts are specialist pieces of equipment, which are purpose built for working at height. So in what situations might you choose to hire one of these machines?
The scissor lift is basically a huge platform mounted on a hydraulic lift. You can transport it throughout the warehouse or any other working area using the motorised vehicle on which the platform sits, this can then be adjusted to the necessary height. These can often extend to 18 metres, giving excellent scope for working indoors or out. The large platform makes it ideal for carrying a number of operatives as well as the necessary tools for the job. So if you’re carrying out repairs to roofing or the outside of a tall building, a scissor lift could well provide the perfect solution.
As with any powered access vehicle, the boom lift is mounted on a motorised base. This allows it to be driven across any site to find the optimum position from which to work. Unlike a scissor lift though, a boom lift features a platform on the end of a versatile, extendible boom arm. This allows it to reach up to 18 metres horizontally and 43 metres vertically. So whilst a scissor lift is restricted in what the operator can reach, a boom lift can get you into almost any area. Therefore you can work in tight spaces or gain access to a roof area with consummate ease thanks to the overarching boom. You won’t quite get the same amount of platform space to work with, but your reach and versatility is second to none.
Cherry Picker Hire
The smallest of the three powered access machines featured here, a cherry picker is a compact and versatile vertical platform. You can often get a little over 10 metres of reach on one of these, which isn’t the hugest distance, although more than enough for most indoor duties. Boom options are available with larger models, helping to improve access to more challenging areas. They are built to work indoors or out and can be used for a variety of tasks.
Although it certainly doesn’t have the scope of a scissor lift, a cherry picker more than makes up for its diminutive size with easy operation, impressive flexibility and a compact design that makes it ideal for (comparatively) small spaces. You should bear in mind that a powered access licence will be required for operators of most pieces of equipment. As a result it is important that you have or know a licensed operator before hiring out a boom or scissor lift. The hiring company will usually clarify this before collection or delivery, but due to the heights you’ll be working at it is imperative that only trained staff use this equipment.
