If you have a job that requires access equipment, how do you decide which type of machine is best? From vertical masts and scissor lifts to push around lifts and telescopic booms, there are many options to choose from.
Let’s take a look at how to select the right machine for the job:
Height and Reach Requirements
The first thing you need to take into account when choosing your access equipment is how high and how far it needs to reach. Does it need to simply go straight up and down, or does it need to reach out horizontally as well?
Vertical masts are ideal for low to medium height vertical tasks and are commonly used in maintenance, painting, and electrical work indoors. This is a fairly straightforward and simple lift used for more common jobs. Push-around lifts are also suitable for low-height tasks and are easy to move manually.
Scissor lifts are a great option if you need to work a little bit higher, with heights ranging from about 6 to 13 metres. These are great for more demanding maintenance and construction tasks, as well as for work in warehouses with high shelving.
Articulating booms are an excellent option when you need both vertical and horizontal reach. They are ideal for tasks that require reaching far over objects or obstacles. Telescopic booms, on the other hand, offer a straight-line extension for high and distant reach. This is a great option for construction and industrial tasks that require working at significant heights.
Trailer-mounted booms are portable and designed to be easily towed to various locations. This is a good option if you need to have an articulating boom taken to various sites regularly. It’s a good all-rounder that can be used in a variety of situations.
Telehandlers, on the other hand, are versatile forklift-type machines made to lift heavy loads rather than people. This material handling device is robust and more agile than a common forklift, capable of combining lift height and forward reach in a compact package.
Terrain and Mobility
If you’re using vertical masts and push-arounds, it’s best to work on smooth indoor floors where mobility is limited. These machines suffer from limited mobility on uneven terrain.
Scissor lifts are capable of working both indoors and outdoors, depending on the model you choose. When it comes to rough terrain, articulating and telescopic booms are often designed to handle it quite well, as they are frequently used on outdoor construction sites and other rugged applications.
Trailer-mounted booms can be set up almost anywhere and are towable by vehicles, making them useful on a variety of terrains. Telehandlers are also equipped for rough terrain and are an excellent choice for lifting things like timber or construction materials safely on uneven ground.
The Nature of the Work
When choosing a machine, you need to consider the nature of the work. If you’re going to be doing things like maintenance and electrical work, then vertical masts, push-arounds, and scissor lifts are ideal because they’re compact, manoeuvrable, and can be used with precision.
In construction and industrial work, where there are plenty of obstacles in the way, articulating booms are particularly useful. Telescopic booms and telehandlers are also useful on construction and industrial sites due to their higher reach and superior load capacity.
Scissor lifts and articulating booms are great for tasks like cleaning and painting, as they provide the necessary reach and offer superior stability. Space constraints also need to be taken into account, as in limited space conditions, manoeuvrability might be restricted.
No matter what kind of access equipment you’re after, here at Sterling Access, we have it all—from push around lifts to trailer-mounted booms and more. Contact us today for more details on our equipment for sale and hire.
