How to Choose the Right Scissor Lift that will Fit Your Project

If you need a safe and quick way to reach high and difficult-to-reach places without using scaffolding, scissor lifts are an ideal solution for you. Regardless of whether you need to do interior or exterior works at height, these machines are some of the most typical machines used for these projects. Maintenance, installation, renovation – everything can be done with this aerial platform lift.

Now, the complication comes when you need to choose an appropriate scissor lift for your project. It often happens that people rent the wrong size or height lift, and instead of saving money they additionally spend even more having to change the lift for the right one.

To save you the trouble of going through all this mess and to save you money, we decided to create this guide for first-time scissor lift renters.

Determine working height

When renting the lift, your first consideration should be the vertical reach. We have two types of very different heights to take into consideration.

First, we have platform height which implies the maximum height of the scissor lift platform. Generally, the most used types of these lifts can reach 6, 8, or 10 meters. Of course, there are also those lifts that can reach 12 or 14 meters as well but they are not used as often.

Working height, on the other hand, is the height that you need to reach with the lift to complete the work. This is also the highest point where you need to stand.

For example, if your working height is 8 meters, to choose the right height scissor lift, you’ll need to subtract the worker height (which is usually considered to be 2m) and as a result, you’ll get 6 meters which means that the scissor lift appropriate for you would be the 6 meter one.

Weight and personnel capacity of the lift

Next comes determining the weight capacity and personnel limit of the lift. Usually, a scissor lift can carry 2 people. However, some scissor lifts can also carry 3 people. The actual capacity of the lift depends on its model but most scissor lifts can carry up to 227 kg and above.

It’s really important to follow the recommendations and never to go above the total load capacity. Not only is it not in compliance with OSHA standards but it’s also very unsafe.

When renting a scissor lift, every rentee will have the platform capacity clearly stated. For example, Universal Mobile Tower Hire has all the important information related to the capacity, weight, height, working height of the lift listed on their site.

So, when choosing the lift, you can’t make a mistake.

Loading method

Another important thing to know when choosing the right scissor lift is the loading method. There are several loading methods and they all require different edge loading conditions which in turn affects the choice of the platform.

The methods available include placing materials on the platform, sliding, and rolling. Placing the load is usually done with the help of a crane or other stacking methods. Manually stacking the load won’t affect the edge load much. However, loading too much too fast can cause damage to both the load and the lift.

Sliding the load needs to be done carefully and with constant supervision. Rolling also needs to be handled carefully, you can’t place the entire load on the edge without impacting the lift.

So, try choosing the scissor lift according to your loading method as well.

Power supply

The type of scissor lift power supply you go for will again depend on your project. There are two types of power supplies, battery-powered or diesel or gas-powered.

Battery-powered lifts are usually used indoors but sometimes can be also used outdoors, too. They are great for indoor works because there are no hazardous emissions. They are easy to maintain and there’s no need for refilling with diesel or gas.

Diesel-powered lifts, on the other hand, are great for outdoor projects. They are more durable than battery-operated ones and perform better and are also ideal for long working hours.

There’s a lot to consider before choosing the scissor lift. All of these above-mentioned factors can significantly influence the type of scissor lift you need for your project.

So, to avoid unnecessary expenses and all the mess, before hiring the platform, make sure you’ve considered all these factors.