Choosing The Right Type of Aerial Lift: 6 Steps To Follow. There is no invaluable equipment like aerial lifts to help workers reach places, usually at typical heights, without having to erect scaffolds. An aerial lift is a vehicle-mounted work platform used in a wide variety of maintenance, construction, and renovation projects, primarily within the commercial, residential, and industrial sectors.
But, how to choose the right type of aerial lift for your project? Scissor or boom lift? Telescopic or articulating? Rough terrain or electric? Every lift performs a unique set of functions. Well, the first step is to identify which option is best to optimize your operational flow. While some aerial lifts can move horizontally or vertically, some can rotate around a vertical axis. For any aerial lift use, start by evaluating the maximum and minimum needs of the equipment in its planned operations.
Consider these factors when choosing the aerial lift:
Job Indoors or Outdoors!
Where will you be using the aerial lift? Is the job outdoors or indoors? Location plays a critical role when choosing the aerial lift. Low-emission electric scissor lifts offer a quiet and convenient solution for sound-sensitive indoor areas, such as residential property, office buildings, hotels, retail stores, and schools. On the other side, boom lifts offer functionality for a variety of outdoor applications, for instance, muddy construction sites.
Identify the Work Applications
What is the type of work application will aerial lift performing?
Electric scissor lifts are perfect for indoor applications, such as factory floors, warehouses, hangers, auditoriums, galleries, and gymnasiums. While they are standard in indoor environments, they can also be used outdoors or environment with the hard-level surface. If you would use an electric scissor lift outdoors, be sure to use an electric outlet close by to charge the unit.
Rough terrain scissor lifts on the other side are construction-oriented machines. They are designed to stand up to the hardships of rough outdoor worksites.
Assess Your Work Height
How high will you be going? This will depend on whether you are working on a window outside a building or changing a light bulb inside a warehouse. Aerials and scissor lifts have their specific height capacity. However, to safely work on lift platforms, it is crucial to have scissor lift certification so that you will be aware of the perks and pitfalls of working at heights. The certification also helps you know recognize the hazards and take preventative measures accordingly.
Check Ground Conditions
The ground conditions will help you know the most suitable tires. Non-marking tires are ideal for indoor use, whereas rough terrain tires having an aggressive tread design are ideal for wet outdoor ground scenes.
Know the Load Capacity of the Lift
How much the load weighs? What are you lifting? This is true, mainly in the case of scissor lifts, where you need to know how many people and goods will be on the platform. To choose the right scissor lift, first identify the combined load capacity of materials and personnel. For instance, you should not put 1000 pounds of weight on a 500-pound machine.
Battery or Fuel: Know the Types
The power source you prefer- Battery or fuel? Electric aerial lifts are best for indoor and retail environments since electric energy is clean and pollution-free. These utilize deep cycle and are equipped with battery chargers that turn off automatically when the battery is fully charged. These are usually light and minimize wear on the flooring. They also have smooth wheel surfaces created to leave no tracks.
Fuel models are best to use in construction sites where heavy-duty outdoor work is common. The engine allows horsepower to produce the flow and hydraulic pressure necessary for high performance.
While choosing the right type of lift for your project is extremely important, trained workers are the key to the successful completion of the project. Since you will have full control over repair and maintenance, you can ensure to keep your lift in good working condition.