Industries like warehousing, construction, and maintenance sometimes require work-at-height to perform tasks that would be otherwise challenging from the ground. This is an area where aerial lifts or mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), can be very helpful.
When used correctly, aerial lifts are durable equipment that safely lift workers to elevated workspaces. There are different types of aerial lifts available in the market each serving a particular purpose. It’s important to learn about the various types to ensure you pick the right aerial lift option for your project.
Popular Types of Aerial Lifts
According to OSHA, aerial lifts include vertical towers, articulating boom platforms, aerial ladders, and extensible boom platforms. Let’s discuss the most common types of aerial lifts:
Boom Lifts
Boom lifts are one of the most popular types of aerial lifts, and their market size is expected to hit USD 25.78 Billion by 2036. They can lift workers to different heights ranging from 30 to 210 feet. Their structure involves a platform or bucket attached to an arm, as well as a movable base on the ground. Boom lifts are available in both electric and diesel versions, you have a variety of options to choose from.
Typically, boom lifts work by using a hydraulic system to move the arm, often called a boom, and other components on the lift, to elevate a worker and their tools to high or hard-to-reach places. They are available in a variety of configurations and sizes and can extend both vertically and horizontally to navigate tight spaces. There are many applications of boom lifts, including trimming trees, roofing, fixing street lights, and hanging signs.
Boom lifts are further divided into two types depending on their structure and functioning, such as:
- Articulating Boom Lifts: Articulating boom lifts, also known as knuckle lifts, feature a joint arm that bends at multiple sections. This joined arm makes them indispensable for maneuvering short or tight spaces with great ease. They are well suited for a wide range of tasks, such as building maintenance and construction sites.
- Telescopic Boom Lifts: These are capable of higher horizontal and vertical reach than articulating ones. They can extend straight up at a particular angle but cannot bend since there are no joints on them. Their exceptional weight-lifting and height capabilities make them ideal for applications like overhead construction and maintenance of high-rise buildings.
Boom lifts are sometimes referred to as cherry pickers. Some people call them cherry pickers as they were previously used to pick fruits like cherries. However, after several modifications from manufacturers, these machines can now perform various tasks from picking fruit to washing windows on a highrise.
Scissor Lifts
A scissor lift is generally a type of aerial work platform that is used to lift workers and equipment vertically to elevated workspaces. A portion of the platform stays within the vertical footprint of the base. They get the name scissor lift as they have crisscrossing braces and move up and down vertically in a scissor-like mechanism.
The basic operating principle of a scissor lift is pretty straight forward—the power source is turned on, the operator can lift the platform by sending hydraulic fluid to the lift cylinder, causing it to extend. This causes the legs of the lift to push apart, elevating the worker.
What’s truly impressive about these aerial lifts is that they can easily extend and collapse for smooth storage when not in use. Many can even fit through standard doorways. You can use them for indoor tasks like warehouse stocking, painting, and making ceiling repairs as they extend to a height of 20 to 50 feet only.
How to Choose the Right Aerial Lift?
If you are wondering how to choose the right option from the many types of aerial lifts, here are the tips that can help you:
- Consider Weight Capacity: Remember, each aerial lift has a maximum weight or load limit that it can safely support. This includes everything from the weight of the operator, tools, and any other material. So, when choosing the right aerial lift for your tasks, assess your overall load requirements. You must opt for the ones that can handle your maximum load requirement or more to avoid injuries and equipment damage.
- Pay Attention to Work Conditions: Work conditions are another important factor in choosing an aerial lift. For instance, you should always perform a risk assessment looking for hazards throughout the range of motion. Are there pot holes that need to be navigated? How about overhead power lines? The risk assessment can help determine which aerial lift is right for the specific situation.
- Check the Work Envelope: Different aerial lifts have varying height and side reach capabilities, so make sure to opt for the one that provides you with the desired reach from the base to the work area. For instance, if you are looking for something to maintain high-rise buildings, then boom lifts are probably the right choice, although you will need to find the right one for the specific building. Nonetheless, if your goal is to do small tasks like painting and warehouse stocking, a scissor lift might be a better choice.
Conclusion
There are many types of aerial lifts, and choosing the right one is critical for the efficiency of the job you are doing and the safety of your operators. However, if you have recently experienced an accident or noticed a design flaw with your aerial lift, and would like an expert to look at the information and provide opinions, you should contact Alpine Engineering and Design Inc.
We have a team of expert aerial lift operators, trainers and designers who can assist you in legal cases by analyzing equipment usage and reasons for potential failures. Our experts give you unbiased feedback based on engineering and product technicalities that can strengthen your case!